Lost and Found
by RingwraithYJLOVER
Summary: On a bust gone wrong, Nightwing and Red Arrow are sent to the Justice League's(cartoon) dimension. While there, they discover that the Flash is the supposedly dead Kid Flash. With everyone believing they're dead, will they ever get back? Did Nightwing and Roy really get sent by accident? T for curses. Chap 1 is prologue, Batgirls POV. Slight Dibs, Spitfire,Don't own image
1. Chapter 1

**Yes, this does mention Nightwing dying. But is he actually dead? *evil smirk* I was listening to the song Innocence and When You're Gone by Avril Lavigne which inspired this story. Check out the song, it's really good. Okay, I made some revisions to fit the timeline of invasion. YJ Invasion ended on June 20th. Four months later, this story happens. Dick 'dies' on October 27th, this part with Barbara happens on the 28th. **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything**

* * *

_**Prologue:** _

_"I'm so sorry." _

_The explosion went off._

* * *

That one sentence echoed in Barbara Gordon's, AKA Batgirls mind. Right now, she was just numb. Just numb. Slowly, almost robotically, she grabbed her keys. She left her room in her father's house. Yes, she stilled lived with her father. She went out the door, and got into her car. She pulled out and started to drive.

She let her mind wander. Some part of her refused to believe that Dick Grayson was dead. Dick Grayson was the kind of person who you would imagine would always be there, no matter what you said or did. God, she had been so stupid. The Team treated him like crap. _She _treated him like crap. If only she had known how much time she would've had left with him-

She felt tears well up in her eyes. She refused to let them fall. Everything around her seemed to blur. If only Tula hadn't died. If only Kaldur's father hadn't been Black Manta. If only Kaldur hadn't gone undercover. If only Nightwing and Kaldur hadn't come up with that _stupid plan! _If only Jason hadn't died. If only Ted Kord (Blue Beetle before Jamie) hadn't died. If only the invasion hadn't happened. If only Jason didn't come back evil. If only Wally hadn't died in the Artic. If only they hadn't shunned and rejected Nightwing when he needed them most.

If only-

_Damn, _she thought, _Damn it all to hell. _

_She remember that day as clear as anything. Batman, herself, and Robin were there. They ended up teaming up with Nightwing because the drug deal they were tracking down was huge. Roy, Red Arrow, was there as well. She wasn't kidding when she said it was huge. He was following a lead for the deal on his end. Cheshire, Jade, was home with Lian._

_Then they found Red Hood there, who apparently had decided to crash this drug deal and kill some of them while he was at it. The fight turned into one massive free for all. Then, as if to make matters worse, Damian showed up. Damian had popped up a few days ago. Batman refused to let him out on the field. The kid seemed to only like Batman, and Nightwing. _

_Barbara had a feeling it was because Batman was his father, and Nightwing was so damn likeable. That was one of the things she loved about his personality. Spoiler, or Stephanie, showed up after him, fuming. Black Bat, or Cass, showed up next. Stephanie had shown up a month ago. She was still pretty new, she hadn't met Nightwing yet. Or Black Bat for that matter. Cassandra had been rescued by Batman from her father, David Cain, who was training her to be an assassin. _

_Cass hadn't even made her official debut as Black Bat. Neither had Stephanie as Spoiler. Damian was the son of Batman and Talia Al Ghul. He wasn't a hero, period. The only reason he had met Nightwing was because he had taken a hijacked motorcycle (AKA hers) and driven to Bludhaven. She didn't know what Dick had said or done, but when Damian came back he looked to be fighting a smile, and she couldn't detect any malice in the insults he said about Nightwing. Damian kept going on about how that 'imbecile thinks I am his brother'. _

_Nightwing himself was getting readjusted to the hero world. A week after the invasion had ended, nobody contacted him. Nobody bothered to check up on him. For about four months, he didn't have contact with anyone a part of his superhero life. Then about a week ago he contacted Batman, and tries to talk to Jason. She had a feeling some of what he said got through, because the death toll for Red Hood slowed down dramatically. Barbara is still wondering what happened during those four months he had no contact with anyone. _

_Back to the fight, things were going pretty well. While investigating the cargo contents, she finds out that they weren't shipping just drugs. It was an arms deal as well. She just about cursed at the sky for the horrible luck she had. There was some drugs, plenty of firepower, and the machine that went missing from S.T.A.R labs. S.T.A.R labs had refused to tell them what the machine was, but they did give them a picture of it. _

_The lack of information had bothered Batman, so he hacked S.T.A.R labs. There was no information on record for the machine any where. Suddenly, the battle took a turn for the worse. One of the criminals had rigged the trucks to blow up the warehouse they were in. There were five trucks. One unknown machine. A bunch of heroes. One Jason. And about fifty men who had all started to flee when the one seemingly in charge pressed a button._

_Doing a quick sweep of the area, and seeing no knocked out men, she started to leave. It took all her concentration to avoid the bullets the fleeing men were firing back at them. Batgirl remembered going out the door, and turning around to see Red Arrow and Nightwing right behind her. The others had already made it. Just then she watched as a gun men got a lucky shot in. She remembered seeing Nightwing fall to the ground. _

_Red Arrow heard the sound and turned around to help Nightwing back. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion. The gun men were no longer firing at the three of them, the rest of the Bats were taking them down. But they wouldn't notice how Nightwing was hit, and had yet to make it out of the warehouse. He was just standing there, two hundred feet away from her. _

_She watched as Red Arrow, only fifty feet away from Nightwing, tried to get to him to help him. She was frozen, like she knew what was going to happen before it did. Even with the mask on, Nightwing locked eyes with her. Despite being so far away that he would have to shout for her to hear him, she could read his lips just fine. _

_"I'm so sorry." _

_The explosion went off. She remembered screaming, and then nothing. That happened yesterday. _

They had no clue what to do. For his collage classes, Dick had, unbeknownst to them, taken summer classes and in-school classes up to the end of September, practically non-stop, and signed up to continue them in February, so they didn't have to worry about that until then. Batman had sent Dick Grayson on a 'soul search' journey-much like the one he sent Jason on when Jason died.

The apartment's still Dick Grayson's, with payments being made on it, but Dick Grayson would never be living there again. After that, Bruce went into a catatonic state. It was like Jason's death all over again, but this time, it didn't seem like he would come out of it. He just sat in the Batcave in his costume with the cowl down.

When Alfred had been told, he had become really pale. Alfred had politely excused himself and went to his room. Tim had changed out of his costume and into normal clothes. He locked himself in his room. From outside his door, you could hear his sobs. Stephanie and Cassandra had no idea how to act, so they just went to their rooms and avoided everyone. Leslie Thompkins, the Wayne family and bat-clan doctor, looked tired when they told her the news. Leslie stayed in her room at the Manor.

Lucius Fox, who covers for Bruce when he has to 'go Batman', and who has worked with Batman and co. to create new tech, hadn't gone to work. He had taken the week off. So had Bruce. Leslie didn't work until next Friday, a week from now. Damian was frozen, like he was on autopilot. It seemed to her that he was trying to act tough and uncaring, but the death affected him, too. She internally snorted. Trust Dick to have a midget ex-assassin for a little brother.

This left Barbara to pull herself together and to tell Cheshire that her husband wasn't coming home. The ex-assassin had looked . . . broken, when Batgirl told her the news. Jade had cradled Lian close, with tears in her eyes. At that point, it was all Barbara could do to not break down in tears because she had seen her oldest friend die before her eyes.

They hadn't even told the Team or the League yet. Man, Dick was like a nephew to Green Arrow, Flash, Superman, Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern 1&amp;2, Zatara/Doctor Fate, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Captain Atom, and Black Canary. Not to mention how Green Arrow, Black Canary, Artemis and the Team would take Roy's death. And at the same time as Nightwing's, so soon after Wally's death.

It seemed to Batgirl that too many people were dying lately. Barbara's car pulled to stop. With a jolt, she looked around. She knew this parking lot, these buildings. She had driven to Dick's apartment building. She doesn't know what made her do it, but it just felt right to be here.

She got out of the car and headed to the building. Slowly she traveled the route to Dick's apartment. When she reached the door, she hesitated before pushing it open. Stale air reached her nose. The place looked the same, as if Dick had just left and was coming back soon. She looked to the right of her and saw the small kitchen. It was in the shape of an upside down U, with the table on the opposite side of the counter.

There was still space to get around, though. The living room and the dining room sort of blended together, with nothing really separating them other then the floor pattern. The kitchen had dark wood flooring, while the living and bedrooms had tan carpets. The living room was nothing special, just a sofa and two armchairs. She remembered teasing him about the green color. saying it was like the color of the couches at the Cave. But the couches at Dick's place weren't a bright green, they were a dark green, almost grey.

Right now, she would be willing to plead on her knees for him to come back, if only to prove he wasn't-wasn't gone. She flicked the lights on and headed further in, shutting the door quietly behind her. She looked at the light, sunshine colored walls. She teased him for the color choice, but he claimed it would add color to the place. She looked at the papers and textbooks cluttered on the table.

His laptop was on the table, too. The school papers were off to the side in a neat stack along with the textbooks. He _had_ just gotten through a big chunk of his second year of collage. She couldn't say the same for his mail, though. It was all over the place, with some ads from companies thrown in. A book was on the table. She squinted to look at the title. It said, _The Hobbit_. She had to snort at that. Trust Dick to read stories with trolls and magic rings, full of adventure and danger.

She glanced at the kitchen, taking in everything. There were no dirty dishes. Huh. His life at the circus must of gotten him used to cleaning dishes. That and his training from Alfred. As soon as the butler had found out where Dick had moved to after his fight with Bruce, Alfred had marched straight to Dick's apartment and taught him how to 'properly maintain a satisfactory human environment' as he put it.

She headed down the hall. The place had four rooms. The first room on her left was a bathroom. Ew. Looks like training from Alfred struck again, though. The room was clean (the door was open). The first room on her right was a guest bedroom. Jason had claimed it as his own, though. There were posters of rock bands on the door, and 'Jason' had been messily glued on the door in wooden letters. The room to the door was closed, as it had been for a while now.

She had to smile at that. Dick and Jason had grown close, and become like brothers. Often times Jason would spend the weekends at Dick's place, or he would come to Dick when Jason and Bruce clashed. She knew all this because Dick was quite the motor mouth when he wanted to be. That, and she would sometimes visit to annoy Dick. Barbara and Dick had been friends for years, since he was ten and she was ten.

Really, she was only a couple months older than Dick. But that never mattered. They stuck together, fought together, and laughed together. He was her friend. And now he was gone. She felt tears prick her eyes and she used the back of her hand to wipe them off. She would not lose it. Not now. She looked down at what she was wearing to distract herself. Jeans, because it was October and it was pretty chilly in Gotham. Well, Bludhaven now, since that was where she was. She had on a black t-shirt, with sneakers. Nothing fancy.

She ignored her clothes and decided to continue her self-guided tour. The second room on her left was the one Tim had claimed. It, like Jason's, was supposed to have been a guest room, but Tim had come over so much he claimed that room as his own. The name 'Tim' was on the door in neat letters. Tim, like Jason, had become Dick's brother. She hoped he would be okay, but Barbara wasn't even sure _she _would be okay.

She sighed. The door to Tim's room was shut. Most likely because Tim, like a few Leaguers and the Team, was mad. Honestly, she had a feeling that the only people who would talk to Nightwing and not feel anger, pity, or some other emotion were Bruce, Alfred, Leslie, and Lucius. Selina, too. Oh gosh, they hadn't told Catwoman. She would be mad. Then again, they hadn't told anyone else. They were just in shock, and couldn't bring themselves to say the words out loud.

She turned to the second room on the right. Dick's room. There were no marks on door to symbolize it was his other than his name. It was his last name though, on the door. A lot of people argued with him about having his nickname on the door. Having his first name on the door wasn't even an option. Eventually a compromise was worked out of having his last name, 'Grayson' on the door in neat letters. She remembered how he always told people to call him Dick because Richard was too formal. She put her hand to the door nob. Again, she hesitated, but eventually she just pushed the door open.

The room was the same as he had left it yesterday. The bed was made, there were a few loose shoes strewn about on the carpet. There was a trunk/dresser, which sat the foot of the bed, and was made of dark oak wood. The top had a few papers and other stuff on it. Looking carefully around the room, she looked at the bedside table. It was on the left side, and it only had a book on it.

Looking at the title, she saw that it said _The Lost Hero. _How ironic, except they didn't live in the world of Percy Jackson. She looked around once more. She realized how tired she was, and how much she wished this was a dream. She grabbed a sweatshirt that was thrown haphazardly on the bed. Other than that, there was nothing on the dark navy sheets.

She put the sweatshirt on. It was red, and it smelled like him. She wished so bad this was a dream. She slowly went on the bed. Barbara felt tears prick her eyes. It all reminded her so much of Dick. In the back of her mind she wonders if this is similar to how Artemis-Tigris now-felt when Wally died. Barbara didn't go under the covers. No, she just lay on top, taking in everything.

She let the tears that had been waiting so long to come out fall, and Barbara Gordon cried. She curled up into a ball on her side, and just cried. How much she wished this were a dream-nightmare, and all of this wasn't real. It didn't work. Gradually, she fell asleep. She can worry about breaking the news some other day. Some other time.

For now, she wanted to rest.

* * *

**No, this is not a deathfic. No, Nightwing is not dead. Neither is Red Arrow. This takes place a little while after the invasion, by about four months. The ages are the same as in the show. Damian is eight, almost nine years old. Cassandra is thirteen years old. Stephanie is fourteen years old. Yes Wally 'died' in the Artic. No, Mount Justice did not get blown up. **

**Sorry if any characters are a little off. I did the best I could. I was listening to the song _Innocence_ and When You're Gone by Avril Lavigne, which really helped inspire this story. Check it out, they're good songs. YJ Invasion ended on June 20th. Dick and Roy 'died' on October 27th . I know you guys can do it. Please?**

***The Lost Hero is written by Rick Riordon. It branches off the Percy Jackson series. **

***The Hobbit is a book written by J.R.R. Tolkien **

** REVIEW! REVIEW! PLEASE! If you don't like this story, no one is forcing you to read it. **


	2. Am I dead?

**Time to get this up and running! Okay, so I will be updating this as often as I can. I do have a lot of free time, so it'll be pretty often. Hopefully. One thing I have to say is this: I loved the Young Justice Legacy video game. It explained what happened the year before Young Justice Invasion, and even though it's not the show itself I'm still happy to see my favorite characters. **

**So far, I have completed and gotten an A on all the missions. I just need to find two dioramas and I'll have found all the collectable items. Oh, and I may have created another Young Justice fan. My cousin, who I told about YJ. She seemed interested, and even played a little of Young Justice Legacy. Only two missions, before we decided to start her out by watching episodes of season one. **

**It's on Netflix,(only season one) and I bought it on Amazon. But the internet wasn't working, so we couldn't watch it. I did end up telling her about Fanfiction, and rambling how much I like YJ without giving away spoilers. So yes, possible new YJ fan. Hooray! More people to add to the fan girl/boy army. **

**Young Justice shall live on through its fans! It shall live on through cosplay, deviant art, Fanfiction, and fans too stubborn to let this great show disappear! How dare Cartoon Network cancel it. Its been a while and I'm still pissed. I'm pretty sure other people are pissed also. ****I find myself searching the web for possible news of a season three, or searching the TV for Young Justice. **

**I have even looked at the Young Justice tab on CN's website. I didn't really watch Green Lantern, but I can tell by seeing a few episodes it was good. No offense to people who don't like it. As for Teen Titans Go . . . I am speechless. That monstrosity is totally a spoof of Teen Titans, a show which I loved. I even have a DVD of Teen Titans. **

**Sorry to people who like it, but when I first watched Teen Titans Go . . . I wanted to puke. Then run away. Then wipe it from my mind. Whenever I see ads for Teen Titans Go, I want to bury my face in my hands from frustration and embarrassment. How can CN run _that_ as a substitute for Young Justice? Especially when comparing the two? And after cancelling the show on a _cliffhanger_? Aliens have possessed them. It is the only logical explanation. **

**As for Beware the Batman, I heard of it. My brother was watching it, and I watched a little to see if it was any good. I didn't like. So did a lot of other people. Many say its the animation, but Green Lantern had the same animation. It isn't even halfway done showing the episodes. Apologies to people who do like Beware the Batman.**

**Beware the Batman, last I heard, went on hiatus. And we all know what that means, am I right? Maybe, just maybe, the pleas of the fans have been heard. I don't want to get my hopes up, but I can't help it. Maybe Young Justice has a chance for a miracle. Or at least it seems like it. Who knows with CN.**

**Well, I'm done my mini-rant. On with the story! **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Young Justice. Thank you so much to the people who have reviewed, followed, and favorited this story so far. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of people. So, thank you.**

* * *

Silence. That was all that there was. Silence.

He couldn't hear anything, except for a faint ringing in his ears. Nightwing was numb, he couldn't feel anything. He couldn't escape this sense of urgency, however. What had happened? He tried to remember.

_He was following a potential bust against Blockbuster 2. No, not Mark Desmond. Roland Desmond, Mark Desmond's older brother. Roland 'improved' the Blockbuster formula, and in addition to being strong, he kept his high brain power. Didn't mean he couldn't be stupid, though. Nightwing had made a bust when he was first starting in Bludhaven that crippled a third of Desmond's organization. _

_Desmond had chosen to become a drug lord and take over a city rather than join the Light. The deal was meant to be a drug deal. When Nightwing got there, he met Batman, Batgirl, Red Arrow, and Robin there. He managed to keep himself from flinching at the looks Batgirl, Robin, and Red Arrow shot him. He pretended everything was alright. He was doing that a lot recently._

_The six of them discovered the deal was much bigger than just one city, that it included three cities: Bludhaven, Star City, and Gotham City. They made a plan of attack, but then Jason showed up as Red Hood and he basically tossed the plan out the window. Nightwing remembered a blonde and a black haired girl showing up (They must be Stephanie/Spoiler and Cassandra/Black Bat Damian had complained about) shortly after Damian showed up. _

_Batgirl, who looked at the trucks, yelled through the coms. that it was an arms deal as well, and that the stolen machine from S.T.A.R. labs was there. He remembered hearing what the head henchman shouted, as he was the closest to him. He didn't think the others heard the head henchman._

_"It's set! Let's get the hell out of this dump!" _

_And then the fifty or so guys started to run. He heard Batgirl shout that it was gonna blow, and so he started to run out. It was made difficult by the fact that the fleeing criminals were shooting at them, and he was the furthest from the door. He felt a thug get a lucky shot in, and he crumpled. Red Arrow, w__ho was about fifty feet in front of him, turned around to help him back up. _

_Somehow, he knew what was going to happen before it did. Everyone else's attention was on fighting the henchmen and Jason. Except Batgirl, who was looking at him. He looked at Batgirl, who had a shocked expression on her face, and locked eyes even though he had a mask on. He knew, somehow, that she was far enough away out of the blast zone. _

_He wished she didn't have to see this. So he tried to come up with a way of conveying his feelings. He said, _

_"I'm so sorry." _

_And he was sorry, sorry that she had to see this, sorry for all the lies and half truths, sorry for hurting the people he cares about, sorry for never getting to properly meet Spoiler and Black Bat, sorry for not being able to get to know Damian more, sorry for hurting Tim, who's like his brother, sorry that he broke the promise he made to all his brothers, sorry that Roy was gonna die with him. Sorry that he never told Jason how proud he was of him, of the things he did as Robin and of the man Jason had become. _

_While he didn't like that Red Hood killed, Red Hood killed criminals and stopped crimes. In his own way, Jason was doing what Bruce taught him to do. Nightwing was sorry that he wouldn't get to see Alfred one last time, that he wouldn't be able to help Bruce come out of his shell more, sorry that he wouldn't be able to help Bruce through his death. Indeed, Nightwing was sorry that he would never get to say goodbye. _

_The explosion went off. It felt like being ripped apart molecule-by-molecule. It hurt like hell, and there was a blinding white light. Then there was darkness._

Oh.

That about summed it up. He wondered if he was dead. Suddenly, as if someone had flipped a switch, the pain hit him. Nope, he decided he wasn't dead. His body hurt too much. But why was he in so much pain? Oh. Wait. He was shot, thankfully on his right shoulder. It hurt, but he would probably be able to make it to a hospital for treatment. All he had to do was stay awake.

Which was harder than it sounded. He decided to take stock of his injuries and where he was. If he wasn't dead, maybe Roy wasn't dead. Although the red-headed archer seemed to hate him, he was once like Nightwing's (back when he was Robin) older brother. He still was family, just more like a distant cousin.

Nightwing's chest hurt. It felt like there might be three or four broken ribs. Joy. There was the shot to his right shoulder, and his head was pounding. A concussion, than. Carefully, he twitched his toes, then his legs, then his arms, then his neck. Nothing other than what he found before hurt. Good. He could move. But he felt really tired, and desperately wanted to go to sleep. His head stun, likely because of a cut from when he fell and kissed the pavement.

No, he couldn't fall unconscious, he didn't know how bad the concussion was. He opened his eyes, and looked around. He found he was too tired to sit up from where he was laying on the ground, so he took stock of his surroundings as best he could. His head felt like lead.

He was in a circular clearing, and he could see what looked like pine trees and evergreen trees around the edges. The ground was hard and cold, and he realized it was covered in an inch of snow. It looked like the snow had just started, for it was falling softly down from the sky. It was quiet, here. Peaceful, too. He heard the wind whistle through the trees and looked up at the sky. He shivered, and his breath came out in a wisp of fog.

It was nighttime, and it was dark. He couldn't spot a trace of light pollution in the sky. The stars were shining bright, and the moon wasn't out. The falling snow looked like billions of stars, and again he was struck by how quiet it was here. Wherever 'here' was. It was definitely remote, and the snow as well as the trees suggested somewhere cold, up North.

So, he was somewhere in a forest in the Northern Hemisphere. That really narrows it down. Thinking had held back the urge to sleep, so when it his eyelids behind his mask began to droop, there wasn't much he could do to stay awake. Darkness crept into the corner of his vision. He tried to fight to stay awake. The blackness overtook his vision.

* * *

"Ugh," Roy groaned, "What did I eat last night?"

He opened his eyes, and to his great confusion, he was on a patch of snow covered mud. Great, now he was covered in mud. And wet with snow. He looked around. He was in a forest, and it was snowing. He was near a small stream, and the whole scene looked completely unreal. He said out loud,

"What the hell happened?" His voice echoed in the silence. Then he remembered what happened. The bust. The plan failing horribly. Finding out it was an arms deal. The bombs. The running henchmen. Chasing after said running thugs and mentally screaming at them to fight like a man. Hearing the thud of Nightwing falling down. Going back to help Nightwing. The explosion, pain, then nothing.

"Holy _shit_, am I dead?"

Then the reality of the moment sank in when the pain hit him. No, he decided he was not dead. He hurt too much for that. He took stock of his injuries. Then he noticed he could see. Looking up, he saw that it was twilight, and it would be nighttime in an hour. Well, at least he had some light. He definitely had at least three broken ribs, maybe two.

His head was fuzzy, and it hurt. He head a concussion. Minor, if he had to guess. Other than a few bruises from the fight, the tears in his uniform (Dinah and Jade were going to kill him) and the fact that it was freezing cold and getting colder, he was okay. Sort of. Kind of. Maybe, it depends on his opinion of the definition of 'OK'. Or someone else's. Ah, well, he didn't give a shit.

He blinked, then remembered Nightwing. Roy let out a few choice curse words. He assumed (hoped) that since he got sent to the middle of nowhere and maybe since he was close to Nightwing, Dick was here. Roy sighed. As mad as he was at Nightwing, he knew that Nightwing was in danger of hypothermia. Dick had been shot, where he didn't know, and Nightwing had hit his head when he had fallen.

Roy painstakingly got to his feet. His body sort of felt stiff, like he hadn't used it in a couple days to walk or function. He was sore. He started to walk around the woods, searching for Nightwing. He called out Nightwing a few times, then gave up when he got no response. He was struck with sudden Deja vu. He flashed back to a memory.

_Robin, Kid Flash, and Red Arrow (at the time Speedy) had taken a camping trip, as Roy, Dick, and Wally. Roy and Wally had found out Robin's ID a long time ago. Roy was 16, Dick was 12, and Wally was 14. This was a year before the Team was formed. Roy remembered wanting to invite Aqualad. The three of them had never met Aqualad other than for official business, and when they did see him, he was silent, or really polite. _

_Aqualad was very formal. He had actually become a hero about a year before Wally became Kid Flash. Speedy and Robin met Aqualad only a few times, like 2 or 3 total, and it wasn't until Kid Flash came did they meet each other more. The four of them did hang out a little when their mentors dragged them to meetings, but Kaldur was awkward because he wasn't familiar with Surface Dweller customs. _

_Roy and Dick found it hilarious when Kaldur attacked Wally because he thought Wally was attacking him. Wally was actually trying to give Kaldur a high five. Roy remembered just how badly their camping trip failed. Wally had gotten hungry, so he tried to climb the tree where they hung the food to keep it away from animals. Wally fell out of the tree, and broke his arm. _

_Then, apparently, a bear just had to come up. They were doing fine staying still and avoiding the bear, but Wally screamed when the bear went to him. He ran, and that caused the other boys to run. All of them had gotten separated from one another. Roy had spent hours walking in the woods screaming both of their names. Eventually they found each other . . . after five hours of walking around screaming for each other in the woods at night. _

Roy found himself wishing things were as simple now as they were then. But things were very different. Wally was dead. When Roy first found out, he didn't believe it. Not until he saw for himself Wally disappearing from a camera on the bioship. The Team was larger, and the members all seemed to have their own little bubble of secrets around them.

Half in a daze from his concussion and exhaustion, Roy found himself stumbling around the woods. He tried not to think about how much things had changed, and instead focused on finding Nightwing. Roy tried to focus on other things. Like the weather. It had started to snow, and their was about an inch on the ground adding to the snow already there.

It was night now, and there was a bone numbing-cold. Roy shivered. If he didn't warm up fast, he might get hypothermia. He likely already had a small case of it. But Nightwing had hit his head, and had been shot. If he was here, he needed medical attention. Roy himself had a small concussion from getting here. Where here was, he didn't know, and how he got here, he didn't care.

Roy shivered harder. His teeth were chattering, and there was a bone-deep cold in him. He stumbled into another clearing. He let out a small gasp of surprise when he saw a figure in the middle, his breath coming out as a frosty mist.

It was Nightwing. He lay in the snow, about in the center of the clearing. Dick was on his back, with an arm over his stomach and an arm loose at his side in the snow. He was lightly covered in a dusting of snow, and was really pale. There was a gash on his head from where he hit the ground. Blood from his shoulder wound stained the snow red on his right side.

Roy involuntarily found himself worried, with the urge to pound the thugs who blew the explosives. He had to stop and remind himself that Nightwing was no longer the brightly clad boy who regarded Roy as a brother, and who Roy himself treated like a brother.

Roy walked to Nightwing on unsteady feet. He brought out his com. to radio for help, wondering why the hell he hadn't done it in the first place. At the same time, he searched for a pulse on Nightwing. He found one, and breathed a sigh of relief. While he probably looked just as bad, he wasn't worried for himself at the moment.

"Red Arrow to Mount Justice, requesting a pick up and immediate medical assistance for a down hero."

Static. He tried again, calling Mount Justice by its unofficial name the Team (when it first started with six members. They counted Roy as a part-timer, though he had insisted he wasn't part of the Team at all (officially).

"Red Arrow to the Cave, requesting an immediate pick up and medical attention."

Still no response. Now he was annoyed.

"Red Arrow to Watchtower, requesting an immediate pick up and medical attention."

Static. Roy's anger mounted.

"Red Arrow to-" He gritted his teeth, he hated asking Ollie for help. They were on decent terms, but Roy still hated asking him for help. "-Green Arrow. I need a pick up and medical attention. I'm not asking any more."

No. Response. Roy felt like screaming. In a last ditch effort, he tried to contact one more place/person.

"Red Arrow to the goddamn _Batcave, _I need medical assistance and a pick up. Right. Now."

Static. Roy let out a stream of curses. Just his luck. Suddenly, he heard a very familiar voice say,

"Somebody's got a temper. Who are you, and who's your friend? He looks like he needs some help."

Turning around, Roy saw Superman. The fuckin' blue boy scout. He scowled. Tired, hurt, hungry, and annoyed at the world in general for his bad luck, he said,

"Oh, so now you show up. Thanks a lot for picking up the damn phone."

Superman looked confused. Superman said, "I don't know what you're talking about."

The strange man clad in black with a red arrow symbol and a quiver full of red arrows, with a red bow strapped to his back, looked pissed. Superman felt like he was missing something.

"Don't you play dumb with me, you jackass."

Superman tried to be placid to the man. "Look, let's just ignore that for the moment and get you and your friend some medical attention. He doesn't look to good, and you look like your about to pass out."

Roy scowled in thought. "You seriously don't know us?"

Superman answered honestly, "I've never seen you before in my life. Can you tell me your names?"

The man looked uneasy. "I'm Red Arrow, and the guy behind me is Nightwing."

Superman looked apprehensive.*****He said, "Last time I checked those weren't names."

Roy rolled his eyes. "They're hero names. You get the real ones later. If ever. What worries me is that you don't know them."

Superman said, trying to be gentle, "This isn't a game for kids. It's not safe, and it's dangerous. I don't know who you're trying to kid, but-"

Red Arrow glared at him as best he could. "Don't tell me that, I already know it's dangerous. I've been a hero since I was fourteen. I'm twenty-two now. That means I've been a hero for eight years. Nightwing started training in the hero biz when he was eight, eight and half. He became a hero when he was nine, and is nineteen now. That's about ten years as a hero and about eleven years training. _Don't _tell me its too dangerous."

Superman blinked, surprised. He opened his mouth, losing his patience. These two needed medical attention.

"Look, kid, I'm with the Justice League it's time for you to give up this fantasy of being a hero. I was sent here to investigate some strange readings, I don't have tim-"

Red Arrow interrupted. "You're with the Justice League? You should know me!"

Superman said tersely, "Well, I don't. Look, you need help. Accept the help I can give you."

Superman watched as Red Arrow tensed. He was barely staying awake. If he passed out, Superman might be able to take him to the Tower to get help. There was no time to go somewhere else. He felt bad, but the kid was being incredibly stubborn and wary even though he knew he needed help. Red Arrow spoke,

"No. I don't need your help."

Superman was frustrated, "Oh for the love of-"

He quickly sped forward, and pinched a nerve he had learned from watching Batman use it to knock a hyper Flash out. Red Arrow, already barely conscious, passed out. He quickly called the Watchtower.

_"This is Shayera, do you need help in a fight? It's unbelievably boring up here." _

He chuckled, and spoke "No, but I did find two wanna be heroes out here. They need medical attention, now. I didn't find anything about those energy Batman wanted me to look into."

_"Okay, teleporting you now. Hawkgirl out." _

"Superman out."

He turned off the com. link as a light engulfed him, Nightwing, and Red Arrow.

* * *

**And done! Okay, so this will have as many of the Justice League cartoon characters that make sense for the direction I'm going with the story. I hope I got the personality right for the characters, sorry if I didn't. Review! **

**Please do not right horrible reviews for the sake of writing horrible reviews. Nobody wants to hear how bad their story is. In other words, don't be a Negative Nancy. I'm still pretty new as a writer to the site. Any helpful criticism would be appreciated. I've only written a one-shot and eight chapters of my other story, Complications. **

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! **

***I am American, so I apologize if I'm writing with an accent. It's just part of how I grew up. To me, it's normal. **

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**


	3. What to do? What to choose?

**In response to a question I got from a reviewer, yes Roy and Dick exist in the Justice League cartoon. And yes, I know Wally was Kid Flash before being Flash in JL Cartoon, when he had to get his Kid Flash costume in the Flash museum one episode. For the sake of the story, I'm asking you, dear readers, to throw all that out the window. Please? **

**I once had a Justice League marathon and watched all the episodes of Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. I cracked up when Batman was an eight-year-old. However, including them wouldn't really fit with where I'm going with this story, so please throw them out the window.**

**Roy only made a brief appearance, and Nightwing only made a cameo. He didn't even speak, from what I remember. At least in the cartoon. The marathon was a while ago, I may have to brush up on the JL cartoon. So no, I will not have them in here. There is a reason, but you will have to wait and see. **

**Thank you to all the people who have read, reviewed, favorited, or followed this story so far. I'm pleasantly surprised by the amount. I'm also terrified what will happen if I don't update fast enough. This has more freakin' reviews than my other story, which has more chapters. I guess a lot of people want to see this type of story.**

**I will try to fit as many Justice Leaguers as possible that make sense with the story. I can't promise anything, seeing how many characters in the JL cartoon there is, but the seven founders, Green Arrow, and Black Canary will be in here. It will probably be one big melting pot for the characters and the timeline of events. Oh well, this site is called** **FANfiction**.

**For the possible time difference, there are such things as different time zones and the Watchtower is in space.**

**On with the story! **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Young Justice.**

* * *

Wally West, AKA The Flash, was having a pretty boring day. Superman was dispatched a while ago to check out an energy reading, J'ohn was meditating, Hawkgirl was on monitor duty, and the other heroes were taking care of their own cities, or were minding their own business. Crime in Central was low, and the Rogues weren't causing trouble. This left Wally to wander around the grey metal halls of the Watchtower, bored out of his mind.

He ate absent mindedly from a bag of chips in his hand. Still bored, he went to go and see what Hawkgirl was doing. She was talking to someone, surrounded by computers. She looked like she was itching for a fight. Note to self: Run. Unfortunately, Wally was curious and hopeful that maybe something came up that could cure his boredom.

He spoke, "Hey Hawkgirl! Got anything for me? I'm going crazy here."

Shayera snorted. She said, "Don't talk with food in your mouth, I can barely understand you. In response to your question, no world threatening crisis is going on. Although Supes found some kids playing dress up near the energy signature. They need medical attention, I've just sent for J'ohn."

Despite the fact people were injured, Wally was elated at having something to do. Hawkgirl pressed a button, and in a flash of light three figures appeared. Wally, who by this point had sat in a chair watching the teleportation platform in front of him with his feet propped up on his desk, started to choke on his chips. Sure he recognized Superman, who was standing . . .

But he also recognized the two other figures. Roy. And Dick.

Seeing them brought out a title wave of emotions as he coughed on all fours. He was aware of J'ohn floating past him, toward Superman and Roy and Dick.

He had to be hallucinating. He _had _to be. It must be the chips. Or a really messed up dream.

A voice broke threw his thoughts, Shayera had knelt by him concerned. She was a bit overprotective, heck, everyone was since the Justice Lords. That had been bad.

"Are you all right?"

Wally managed to gasp out, "F-Fine, something-" he coughed, "-w-went down the wrong pipe. Help J'ohn and Superman."

She nodded, and made to help them, not without shooting him a concerned look. All of them left, leaving Wally alone with his thoughts.

Wally raced off to his room at the Watchtower. He locked and shut his door. Wally's room was sort of bare of irreplaceable personal stuff (There _was _the possibility that the Tower would be destroyed. It had been before.) It had a bed, a dresser, a desk, and an attached bathroom. Nearly everything was covered in Flash merchandise. There were even red Flash bed sheets. But Wally ignored all of this, and went into the bathroom.

He pulled down his cowl, put both hands on either side of the sink, and steadied himself. He was shaking slightly. Wally looked at himself in the mirror above the sink. He looked like he had seen a ghost, which he basically had. Wally studied himself. His hair was longer and less wild and flatter to his head, but other then that, he looked the same. The same as when he came here eight years ago.

It was a problem Wally had no answer to. He though maybe it had to do with the Speed Force and how he arrived. He wasn't sure. Wally closed his eyes and turned away. This probably was another dream, created by the lingering hope that someone would save him. Wally left the bathroom. He went to his bed. He was tired, that must be it. Wally laid down. Even though he wasn't tired before, he was now.

This couldn't be real. It had to be a dream, and when he went to sleep, he would wake up. Wally really hated his subconscious right now. His eyes drifted close.

* * *

When he woke, he felt better. But his internal alarm clock told him it was late. Wally looked at his alarm clock.

_2:00__ A.M. _

Huh. No one but Bats would be up now. Unless a person was getting back from a mission, or you were a member that didn't require much sleep. Or you were hungry. Like he was. His stomach growled. Sighing, Wally got up and opened his door. Whenever it was night, out of respect to those who slept here, the lights in the Watchtower dimmed, giving the place an eerie glow. He pulled his cowl down.

Cost was clear. Wally raced to the cafeteria. When he got there, he was surprised to see a few people there. Whatever. Wally got his food. Two heaping piles of everything. The cafeteria oddly reminded Wally of high school. Heck, the League did. Drama, romance, betrayal, mistrust, and a dash of rebellion to get out of monitor duty in whatever way possible, like being assigned chores you don't want to do. Totally a high school full of teenagers.

Wally noticed an arm waving him over. He smiled brightly. It was Superman, sitting with GL. The Green Lantern looked quite grumpy, he had some eggs and a up of coffee in front of him. Superman had a cup of coffee and nothing else. Both were, like him, in costume. Wally took his seat, and dug into his food.

Superman said, "So what do you think of our guests, Flash?"

Wally nearly choked on his food. "Uh, what guests?"

"Those people I brought up from the energy reading I had to investigate." Superman answered.

_So it wasn't a dream. Oh shit. _Wally thought. He said, "I was too busy choking on my chips. Didn't really get a look. Where are the guests now?"

Superman shrugged. He couldn't fathom why Wally would want to know, but he didn't detect anything wrong. His heartbeat hadn't sped up. Then again, Wally's heartbeat is always fast.

He said, "They're down in the med-bay now. They were out in the cold for a bit, and one of them was shot."

"Oh? That sucks. Did they tell you their names?" Wally asked. He ignored the worry for the one who was shot.

Superman responded, "One of them, the mouthy red head with a bow and arrow-" _Roy, _Wally thought instantly, "-said his name was Red Arrow."

"Sounds like Green Arrow." Mused John. He yawned. "Well, its time for me to head to bed. G'Night Hotshot, Superman."

The two nodded their heads at him. Superman continued, "And Red Arrow said the other's name was Nightwing. Now that I think about it, it sound vaguely familiar, though I can't remember where I heard it before . . ."

"I'm sure you'll remember later. I'm, ah, done my food, so I'm gonna go back to bed . . . 'Night GL, 'Night Supes."

Superman gave him a weird look because he was acting oddly, and GL nearly face planted in his coffee, ignoring Wally. Wally got rid of his empty trays. He sped out of the cafeteria, his thoughts racing. _So it wasn't a dream? I actually saw Roy and Dick? Why are they here? Are they the Roy and Dick I know? _

Wally sped to the med-bay. Once he was there, he slowed down and tried to be quiet. There was no one here. Most likely they were asleep. He inspected the rooms at super speed in the med-bay. Finally, he found the right one. There were two hospital beds in a plain gray room with a window between them that looked out over space.

The beds were white, and Roy was on the while Dick was on the right. Each were wearing a white t-shirt and gray sweats, kept as emergency clothes in the med-bay. They had IVs*****and bandages wrapped around their chest were visible. There were some other things Wally didn't know the name of. He never bothered to learn the names, what with speed healing. He only went to the med-bay if it was serious.

They were so still, and there was no way to deny that it was them. Wally looked at Roy. Roy looked the same. This confused Wally. Shouldn't he look eight years older? Dick also looked the same. Both of them were lying peacefully on the bed, with various machines hooked up them. Seeing them was painful. It caused Wally to feel anger, sadness . . . and a whole other host of emotions Wally couldn't identify.

For a while, Wally just stood there, taking in everything and what the appearance of Roy and Dick meant. He pulled his cowl down. He had to make a choice. Did he tell them he may be the Wally they know? What if they don't know a Wally? Did he tell the League he wasn't from here? So many possibilities . . . Wally had no idea what to do.

Maybe the best choice was no choice? He didn't know! All of this and what it meant slightly terrified Wally. He had gotten used to life here, though there was still that ache for his old life. He turned around, and made to head out the door.

A mumble stopped him. "Whose . . . Whoza there? Wha' going' on?"

Wally turned around. Dick looked at him blearily, trying to fight off sedatives he was given, and his own sleepiness from just waking up. Dick's eyes widened. Wally became increasingly aware that his cowl was down, showing his red hair and green eyes. And his face. Well, in the words of Roy: shit.

"W-Wallly?" Dick stuttered.

Should Wally deny his existence and say Dick was hallucinating? Wally spoke, "Uh, not the Wally you know."

Tears pricked at Dick's eyes, "I-I killed him. I killed him. H-He's dead because of me. It's all my fault."

Wally was positive Dick wouldn't be acting this way if it weren't for the painkillers and what not pumping through his system. *****

Dick continued his mindless rambling, "But you are Wally right? A Wally?"

Wally hesitantly nodded. He answered, "Yes."

"He was my best bro. And I killed him. It's my fault he's gone. If only . . ." Dick's voiced trailed off.

Wally said, surprised, "Your bro?"

"He w-was my best bro. A-At times like a-a brother, at t-times like a best friend. But he left! Why'd he leave?!" Dick said.

The last part was meant to be a shout, but in Dick's state it came out as a hoarse whisper. The answer surprised Wally.

Dick, who seemed to have forgotten Wally, whispered, "Why'd he have to leave . . . I don't wanna be yelled at anymore . . . I just wanna be lef' alone . . . leave m'be . . ." Dick trailed off into sleep.

Wally looked guilty and uncomfortable. What to say? Dick was drugged up so high, he probably won't remember this . . . and to see him like that . . . Well, apparently Dick was brutally honest with drugs in his system . . . It made Wally uncomfortable. It wasn't his fault! _But it is, you idiot, _a nagging voice in his head that sounded suspiciously like Artemis whispered. Wally stubbornly believed it wasn't his fault.*****

He backed put of the room, and raced back to his room. That was . . . mildly terrifying. And painful. So painful. But he still had a choice to make. Did he tell them the truth? Ugh, he had a headache. All these thoughts trapped in his head . . . It was making him a little crazy. Not that he wasn't already crazy, but whatever. Wally changed into PJ's.

He planned to spend the night here, then figure out what to do tomorrow. Part of him felt that he was running away from the problem, but running was what he was best at. It was the only thing he knew how to do without screwing up.

* * *

**Please don't kill me. I'm too young to die. I went back and made some changes to the timeline and the ages. Overall, not too big of a difference. It was just something that bugged me.**

**Apologies for any mistakes I made, hopefully I'll be updating more often. School is out for me, and I have started summer vacation. Let me know if you guys want a companion story showing what's happening to those Roy and Dick left behind. Oh, and do you want Wally to tell Roy and Dick who he is? Or do you want him to leave them in the dark? **

**I can go either way for the story. Let me know in REVIEWS! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! **

***Dick is drugged up to high heaven.**

***Wally is in denial, and some part of him is still mad at Dick.**

**It won't take that long! REVIEW! PLEASE! **

**If you don't like this story, no one is forcing you to read this. REVIEW! I'll try and update again soon.**


	4. Choices

**And I'm back. I hate that I don't update as often as I would like to, but I procrastinate, then before I know it a month has gone by. I'm sorry, but I know the only way I can make it up to you guys is by working on my time management. Again, let me know in reviews if you guys want a companion story that shows what happens to the people Nightwing and Roy left behind. **

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. Sadly.**

* * *

Crap. His head hurt. Slowly, Dick opened his eyes. It took a moment for everything to come back to him. He sat bolt upright in his bed, jarring his ribs. He gave a cry, and looked around. He was in some kind of hospital. His injuries were patched, but he was not wearing his uniform. He was wearing a loose white t-shirt and grey sweat pants. He didn't have his mask on.

That caused Dick to panic a little, but he forced himself to stay calm. He immediately began taking the IV and needles and whatnot out of him. He had never been overly found of sitting in a hospital bed, or sitting still in general. He liked to stay in motion. After doing that, Dick tried to stand up. His head went swimming, his wounds hurt, and through sheer force of will, he managed to not throw up.

After he did that, he looked around the room and noticed another white bed. In it was a familiar red-head. Roy. Taking a breath, Dick walked over to him. He shook him awake.

"Wake up."

Red Arrow groaned. "Where are-" The full extent of the situation hit him. "Shit! Damn that boy scout. Where are we?"

Nightwing looked around, taking note of the surroundings. Seeing the window to outer space, he remarked "Well, we're not in Kansas."

"Stop that!" Roy said to him. "And help me-OW! GOD DAMNIT!"

Nightwing helped Red Arrow become free of the machines, and together they both stood up.

Nightwing said, "My guess is we're in the Watchtower, but I'm pretty familiar with all the rooms there and this doesn't look like one of them."

"That does us so much good." Roy said sarcastically. "You know, at the moment I don't give a damn where we are. I just want out of this room."

Both of them started towards the door, walking somewhat slower and more cautious than usual. They opened the door . . . to a deserted hall. Curious, they went down it and started to explore.

Neither Roy nor Dick knew that they had both been asleep for days, ever since Wally's visit and being brought in. Right now, the hallways were deserted because the League was taking care of natural disasters, and their respective cities and villain's. In fact, the only one in the Watchtower with them was Martian Manhunter.

While wandering the halls, Dick and Roy found the nearest room with a computer. Which happened to be the meeting room for the big seven. Dick hacked it, and found the blue prints for the building. After finding them, the two boys made their way down to the evidence room where their costumes were being kept. They made it there, and got to work on searching for their weapons.

"C'mon, c'mon, where is it? Jade and Dinah'll kill me if I lost my costume . . ." Roy muttered, searching for his.

Dick was silent. Both boys found their suits, in different states. Because the doctors did not know how to open the suits to treat their injuries, the suits were torn open. Roy's bow, quiver, boots, arm guards, and mask were intact. His suit would need some major repairs before it could be worn. Dick's utility belt, along with his escrima***** sticks, mask, gloves, and boots, were intact.

They met up with each other. Then Roy realized, "Hey, you're mask is off. How did I not notice that before?"

Dick just gave him a Look, and put on his belt, mask, boots, and gloves. Roy put on his mask, bow, quiver, boots, and arm guards. All in all, they looked very mismatched. Nightwing hacked the Watchtower, and they started off to the teleportation platforms. At this point, J'ohn had noticed them and contacted the League. Superman, Batman, and Green Lantern came up.

"Oh shit." Roy muttered as he saw the group in front of him standing on their way out.

Batman wasted no time. "Who are you? What are you doing out of the med-bay?"

They ignored Batman and his glaring. Superman tried for a kinder approach. "Listen, we just want to talk, alright?"

Roy glared at him, harboring a slight grudge. Nightwing was confused. "Sorry, but you should know us. I'm Nightwing, and this is Red Arrow."

Green Lantern looked confused. "Should know you? Listen, the youngest Leaguer we have is Flash, and I'm sure-"

"Nightwing!" Superman exclaimed suddenly. "I knew I heard it from somewhere!"

Nightwing nodded his head. "It's after a Kryptonian legend. Which you told me countless times."

Batman watched the conversation. Green Lantern and Red Arrow were having a glaring match. Superman looked confused. "I told it to you?"

Nightwing quickly came to a conclusion. Waking up in a strange place, with strange tech, seeing people they knew but they didn't recognize them. He _was_ trained by Batman.

"Red Arrow," He hissed. "I think we're in another dimension!"

Red Arrow's mouth dropped. "_What?!_"

Unfortunately, Superman heard them with his super hearing. "You're from another dimension?!"

The others were immediately on guard. They didn't want another Justice Lords incident.

Seeing this, Nightwing said, "No, wait, we're the good guys. We fight the bad guys."

Batman raised an eyebrow. "And how do we know which are the bad guys and good guys to you?"

Nightwing said calmly. "You don't. But both of us want nothing more than to get back to where we belong. Will you help us?"

"How do we know we can trust you? That you won't turn your back on us?" Superman said.

"We won't do that." Nightwing said firmly. "We want nothing more to get back to our Justice League, and we need your help. All we know is that we got sent here in an explosion."

Batman noticed something. "He called them the Justice _League."_

"Not lord!" Superman said. "And I can detect his heart beat, he's not lying."

"How do you know he hasn't been trained to lie?" Batman shot that down. "This needs to be voted on. In the meantime, we will escort you down to your room-"

"Hey wait a minute, I'm not going back to my room like a good little boy. If a vote is taken about our 'fate' or whatever, we have a right to be there!" Roy said angrily. Nightwing agreed with him.

"Let them watch. I'm sure the others will want to meet them." Superman tried to convince him. All he got was a glare.

"Just let them watch, what harm could they do?" Green Lantern said. If only he knew.

Batman opened his mouth-

* * *

**Seven Hours Later:**

"I can't believe we're here." Roy muttered, looking around at the League.

They didn't have a conference room for the entire League, just the seven founding members. A difference there, the two supposed. They were all gathered in a large room.

"I can't believe there are this many League members. We only have like what, twenty-six counting Rocket and Zatanna?" Nightwing joked.

"More if you count the Team members." Roy said.

Nightwing shrugged. "The Team is an extension of the League, not actual League members."

"You're right." Roy agreed grudgingly.

The argument over whether or not to help them was going back and forth, with the majority being on the 'not-helping-them' side. Both were observing it, but they couldn't participate. Neither knew it, but a certain speedster was watching them closely in front of their guards Superman and Green Lantern. The room was full of shouting voices, and it was just chaotic.

There was also a good many threats being made. During the argument, Nightwing and Red Arrow had taken to finding people they knew and looking at their costume, picking out the differences. Some were the same, or vaguely familiar, but others were downright funny. Roy had to contain his laughter when he saw what this version of Green Arrow was wearing. There were also many unfamiliar faces in the crowd.

Meanwhile, Flash's mind and heart were tearing him apart. His mind, the logical half of him, said it was extremely unlikely that this was the Nightwing and Red Arrow he knew. If he admitted to being from a different dimension, he would destroy the trust the League had for him. His heart said screw it, that's Roy and Dick, his friends, standing there. Well, sort-a-friends. When he 'left', they hadn't exactly been on the best of terms.

Wally was nervous. Batman narrowed his eyes at him. The chaos lasted another hour, and in that time the League seemed to finally come to a decision. Batman walked to them. He had on his usual scowl.

"We will assist you in any way possible. However, you will be monitored under close supervision, and you will have an escort of at least one Leaguer." Batman said.

"It's not that we don't want to help you-" Superman tried to be reassuring.

Nightwing waved his hand. "You've been burned by people you trusted in the past, we get it."

Superman and the other Leaguers blinked. Batman scowled at him. Roy thought it was hilarious.

Both of their eyes drooped, they were tired, not that anyone could see it under their masks. Superman said, "Ah, alright. Flash-" said man gave a small squeak. Everyone looked at him strangely. "-will escort you down to some of the spare rooms."

The two just nodded, not looking thrilled. They started to walk, with Flash as far away from them as he could be. Again, everyone gave him strange looks. The meeting was over, and everyone started to break away. Some sent curious glances or glares at the retreating backs of Nightwing and Red Arrow.

* * *

The walk was awkward. Flash hung back as far as he could, while Red Arrow and Nightwing just walked in silence.

Nightwing couldn't take it. "Are you going to speak or what?"

Startled at being talked to, Flash made the mistake of talking. "Wha-What?"

The two whirled around in shock. Flash stopped dead in his tracks. Stupid! Idiot! Of course they'd recognize his voice. He was going to have to tread carefully.

_"Wally?!" _

Very carefully. Flash would need to do some quick thinking. The most logical choice would be to tell them, but-he was afraid. So instinctively, Wally said,

"How do you know my name?" Then face palmed himself. He could've said it was Barry! That would've drawn less attention. Or more.

The two just stared at him. Flash prayed for some miracle, but he didn't know which one.

"S-sorry." Nightwing said. "W-we thought you were a friend who-who died recently."

"Well I am pretty well known." Flash bragged. _Stop talking! Stop talking! Stop talking! _Wally internally yelled at himself.

"Yeah . . ." Roy said, staring at him. Crap, he could tell they didn't believe him.

Wally spoke again. "I became Flash eight years ago and I eventually helped formed the Justice League."

_Shut up, you idiot! _Wally yelled at himself in his thoughts again. _Don't you think that the fact that you know what they're asking is more suspicious?!_

Now it was even more awkward. Wally shifted. To Nightwing, he looked like he was . . . ignoring something. Nightwing decided to steer the conversation away from the Wally they knew. This wasn't the one they knew, but he couldn't hide that nagging feeling, that familiar feel to this person. He felt like someone he should know wearing a Halloween mask.

"You're ignoring something." Nightwing said bluntly. Roy looked at him, then at Flash. Both had decided to call him Flash, for the sake of not going insane at the grief this opened up.

Wally shrugged. "So what if I am?"

Nightwing gave a pointed look at Flash. "Running away from your problems is a race you'll never win*****. Took me long enough to figure that out."

"In case you haven't noticed, I can run pretty fast. I think I'd win that race." Flash tried to joke.

Roy rolled his eyes. "Can we start walking already?"

They did. Conversation was awkward. Roy tried to start a conversation again. "So . . . any idea on how to get back?"

"Not a clue." Nightwing answered truthfully.

"I might be able to help with that. See, we had an incident with an alternate Justice League from another dimension, and they were evil, and we had to stop them, and-" Flash started to ramble.

"Spit it out." Roy said impatiently.

Flash said, "We-I took some of the tech because-" _Because I was hoping to engineer it to send me back to my dimension. I've got the science part down, sort of, I just need help with the calculations. That's where you come in Nightwing. Oh, by the way, I lied back there. I'm the Wally you know!_

That'd go over so well. The little peppy slightly-hysterical-girlish voice (That sounded like him, sort of) he used in his head didn't help. It just made it creepy. He had to think of an excuse, "-I work as a lab assistant and I was hoping to study it. The League let me keep it because it means the tech stays out of the Lords hands."

Not a complete lie. Just a half-truth.

Nightwing eyed him critically. "Are you the only one studying it?"

"Other than Batman, yes." Flash said. "Why?"

Nightwing answered, "Because we might need your help to get back. How long do you think it'll be until we get it in working condition?"

Now Roy was listening intently. Flash said, "Ah, well you see, I'm still studying it, and to study it, I had to take it apart." At their looks, he says quickly, "I have all of the parts, it's just going to take a while to put it back together, and I still don't know what half of the parts do. And then it's a matter of the right calculations, and finding the right Earth. If we're not careful, we could send you to the wrong world."

"What are we waiting for?" Roy asked. "Nightwing?"

Nightwing frowned, thinking. "It's the best shot we have to get back."

They arrived at the guest rooms. The two went to their respective rooms, and turned to face Flash in the doorway.

Wally wasn't sure if he was feeling terror or relief. Possibly both. On one hand, he was working with them. On the other hand, working with them meant the chance of being recognized. Did he want to be found? If he went back, Artemis would kill him. But he can't deny that he missed them. All of them. Barry, Bart, Iris, the Team, the League, Artemis.

Flash said, "I'll try to talk to the League. Who knows, they might say yes?"

With that, Nightwing's and Red Arrow's doors' shut. They locked automatically. Wally left.

* * *

"No." Batman said firmly.

"Why not?" Flash whined.

Instead of asking the whole League, Flash proposed his idea to just Batman. He ran to the Batcave, and started bugging Batman. Batman was forced to tell them his secret ID after an alien invasion, but Wally already knew it from his dimension. Not that he told them that.

"Bu-"

"No."

"Wh-"

"No."

"Aw, c'mon-"

"No."

"Bats-"

"No."

It had been going on like this for a few minutes. Wally was getting frustrated.

"Look," Wally said, "It'd mean a whole lot to me if we got D-Nightwing and R-Red Arrow back to o-their home dimension."

"And why is that?" Batman challenged. "If you tell me why, I'll consider it."

Damn Bat. Wally was torn. Finally, he said, "I'm from their dimension and I know them and . . . You don't look surprised."

Indeed, Batman did not. Wally asked quietly, "When did you find out?"

Batman answered, "When you wanted to take the Justice Lords tech. I knew there was something more behind that question. I did a more thorough back round check, and I found out that until eight years ago, Wally West did not exist. There was an immense power surge of unknown energy, and six months later there is a new hero running around."

He looked at Wally for answers. "Who are they?"

Wally was shocked. When he got here, he faked his existence, but he could only do it to a certain extent. He supposed he should have expected Batman to know. He's Batman.

Wally said, "Things were different there. Yes, there were heroes, but-"

"That doesn't answer my question." Batman interrupted.

"Let me continue." Wally said, "Some heroes also took on young protégés, or partners, and became there mentors. The first one-"

"Sidekicks." Batman said. "I would never take on a sidekick, much less a child or a teenager."

Wally snapped, "-who was nine, was _your _partner. It's complicated, but along the way more heroes got more protégés and when I was fifteen, the 'sidekicks' formed a team. We're called Young Justice, but we go by The Team for short."

Batman, stunned that he was apparently the first to take on a protégé, said, "Were you a si-young hero?"

Flash nodded. "My uncle was the Flash there-" Batman opened his mouth, Flash raised a hand, "and I became Kid Flash by replicating the experiment that gave him powers."

Batman frowned, thinking. "There are other teen heroes." It was a statement. "What is their names, and who is their mentors?"

Here comes the interrogation. Wally learned a long time ago it was better to answer the questions than face the Bat's wrath.

"In order?" Wally asked.

"Yes." Batman answered.

Wally sighed. "The first was Robin. His mentor was you." Batman scowled further. "And you probably should know that he became Nightwing."

"The one in the Watchtower?" Batman asked immediately. Wally said, "Yes."

Wally continued, "You should also know that the Justice League there is different, and that taking on young partners to train caused a change in the heroes. They became more responsible, okay? So just . . . try to bear that in mind with what I tell you." Batman nodded, frowning. "The second was Speedy. His mentor was Green Arrow. He's Red Arrow now. The third is technically Aqualad, who's mentor is Aquaman-" Batman's eyebrows rose.

"-but he stayed out of the spotlight and didn't debut publically until after me. I was the fourth, and I was Kid Flash, partner to the Flash."

Batman interrupted, "You say 'was their mentor'. What do you mean by that?"

Wally said, "They became their own hero, and technically, they still have their mentors, but they don't receive as much training as they did, like graduation, and they sometimes help their mentors. The mentor-protégé relationship isn't as strong as it once was, as the protégé gains more experience as a hero. It's still there, but . . . you get what I mean."

Batman nodded, looking down at the floor, thinking. "No more interruptions, please? Ok, the fifth was Superboy. No more questions! His mentor is Superman. The sixth is Miss Martian-No more questions! Her mentor is Martian Manhunter. The seventh is A-Artemis. Her mentor's Green Arrow-seriously, I understand the questions but we would be here a whole day if I answered every one of your questions.

"The eighth is Zatanna. Her mentor is Doctor Fate. Yes, I know the Zatanna we know is not a League member and searches for her father, but there- Her father is Doctor Fate. Long story short, he put on the helmet and gave up living his life so Zatanna wouldn't have to. I think she became a League member. The ninth is Rocket. Her mentor's Icon. I think she became a League member with Zatanna.

"The tenth was Garth, and his mentor's Aquaman."

Wally started to wince. "At that point, my memory goes a bit fuzzy. What you need to understand is that we've lost teammates, and one of them was Aquagirl, who's mentor was Aquaman. Another was . . ."

Wally was hesitant to say this one. "The second Robin, a little before Aquagirl died. His mentor was the Batman I know."

Batman stilled at hearing this. Reeling in his emotions, he said, "Go on."

"I can't remember the other three, but I know Batgirl was the sixteenth Team member. Her mentor is you. After her came Bumble Bee, her mentor is the Atom. Next came Lagoon Boy, his mentor is Aquaman. Beast Boy came afterwards, his mentor is Martian Manhunter. He's part martian from a blood transfusion. The third Robin joined the Team next, and his mentor is you."

"I took on another Robin? After what happened to the second?" Batman asked, his voice steady.

Wally nodded. "Yeah, you did. Uh, I'm sort of going by the Team members that joined, and as far as the League from where I came from is concerned, those are the only kid heroes officially, so is that okay or . . .?"

Batman said, "Continue."

"Wonder Girl joined after Robin, the third one, and her mentor is Wonder Woman. Blue Beetle's pretty new, he joined after I left the hero business-"

"You left?" Batman asked.

Wally responded, "Yes, Artemis and me realized how dangerous being a hero could be and we left after Blue Beetle died. We-I wanted a normal life. She came with me." _More like I begged her to come with me. _Wally silently said. Artemis hadn't wanted to stop being a hero.

"And yet," Batman said, "When you get here, a place where you can have a completely normal life, the second thing you do is become a hero."

Wally fidgeted. "I saw that there was no Flash-" At Batman's look, he said, "-and I sort-of-kind-of missed being a hero and saving people."

Wally swore Batman smirked a tiny bit. Batman asked, "You said Blue Beetle joined, but you also said Blue Beetle died."

"There was a Blue Beetle before the new one, and he died. The new Blue Beetle doesn't really have a mentor, but the senior members help him. Oh, and I think Mal became the second Guardian after the first retired due to personal issues."

"Is that all of them?" Batman asked, digesting the information. So, he apparently had some sort of . . . Bat-family?

"As much as I can remember and as much as I know." Wally said. "Will you tell them?"

Batman said, "This is something you need to do yourself. I will consider your idea. Flash, if there is a way for them to get back safely, would you go with them?"

Wally had no answer.

* * *

**And this is now done. Sorry for any mistakes, and for the late update. Let me know if you guys want a companion story in the reviews, and tell me what you think about this story. If you hate it, no one is forcing you to read it. If you give any criticism, please do it to help my writing, tell me ways I can improve. I'm still new at writing, any help is welcome. **

**In other words, don't be a Negative Nancy and leave hateful reviews because you hate it. Don't read it, or give advice. All the people who have reviewed so far have been nice, and have been very helpful. Thanks to them, you guys are great encouragement to update faster. **

***Quote. I do not own it.**

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	5. Frustraions and Realizations

**To the reviewer Demonbloodfeeder: I know that. However, this site is called Fanfiction for a reason. **

**To NicoCheesediPizzaAngelo: Yeah, I saw the costumes in Starcrossed, and as I said before, Nightwing did make a cameo appearance and Roy did make an appearance. As I said before, for the purpose of this story Roy and Dick will not exist as heroes here, and the story will probably end up being one big melting pot for different heroes from the JL cartoon. **

**I have a feeling I'll be saying that a lot. Did anyone else see the cameo appearance the YJ girls Zatanna, Miss Martian, Artemis, and Wonder Girl made on Scooby Doo Wrestling Mania Mystery, where they were watching the match at the end? When I saw it, it gave me a Cheshire grin. I almost started laughing. Take that, Cartoon Network! **

**Thank you to all the people who have reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. On with the story!**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.**

* * *

"This is pointless!" Roy said, angrily throwing a piece of machinery. Thankfully, it didn't break.

Currently, Flash, Nightwing, and Red Arrow were attempting to rebuild the dimension traveling machine with minimal success. Batman had approved the idea a few days ago. The three of them were staying up late into the night and waking up early to work on it. They were trying to miniaturize it so that it looked like a block with a flash light that you shot at a wall.

Except shooting it at a wall would create a portal to whichever dimension you're traveling to. Unfortunately, they were finding it rather difficult because they didn't know what half of the machine did. It was a bit like Lego robotics to them. You have all the pieces, but you don't know what they do, or how to put them together, until you have the instruction manual. Or you just go ahead anyways and figure it out by yourself.

Then you have to program it to do what you want, but 'program' for them meant finding the right dimension, which they compared it to shooting a laser in the dark. Or maybe it was like finding the right frequency for a radio broadcast. In other words, it was hard, frustrating work.

"Guys, let's get some food. I'm hungry." Flash whined.

Nightwing sighed, "I have to agree. Let's go, Red."

"Fine . . . On one condition." Red Arrow said.

"And that is . . .?" Nightwing asked.

"If I get called 'Red Arrow' any longer, I'm going to go crazy. I don't care if these people know my first name, and it's not like I'm the only one with that name. So, call me by my name." Red Arrow said.

Nightwing rolled his eyes. "Fine, _Roy_. Let's get some food."

With that, the three left. Flash led them through the halls to the cafeteria. When they got there, it was relatively full, because it was lunch time. The heroes not in the cafeteria either didn't eat there or were called out on an emergency mission. Everyone gave Nightwing and Roy glances. A few were curious, most were suspicious. They got their food, and tried to find an empty table. There was just one table with Batman at it on a lap top.

Roy and Nightwing looked like they wanted to sit anywhere but with Batman, and Flash just went and sat down. The cafeteria was quiet, as if everyone wanted to hear the conversation between the newcomers.

"So listen, I was thinking we could-" Flash started, but was cut short.

"All in favor of not thinking about that machine?" Roy interrupted.

"Aye." Nightwing muttered, "I swear I'm starting to dream about the thing."

"Fine, fine, we won't talk about that. Uh, how about you tell us something about you? Like if you're part of the Justice League?" Flash said.

Wally knew Batman was now no longer as focused as he appeared to be on his work. Despite what Wally said about Batman having trained Nightwing, Wally knew that some part of the man didn't believe his counter part had trained Nightwing. Batman was observing Nightwing through the lenses in his cowl. Not that anybody could see, or tell.

"Me?" Roy said. "C'mon. I hate to say this, but I'd fit in better with the Team, the junior partners of the League members."

Pretending to be shocked, Flash said, "Heroes have sidekicks? Who's your mentor?"

"_Don't call us sidekicks_." Roy practically growled. "And my mentor was GA and Canary."

Green Arrow, who was in the room, started choking on his drink. Black Canary looked shocked, amused, and suspicious.

Nightwing snorted. "He's a little touchy about that stuff."

"No, really?" Flash said sarcastically."I hadn't noticed. Who trained you, Nightwing?"

Nightwing gave a smirk. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me." Flash challenged.

Roy snickered. He said, "You really wouldn't."

"C'mon, please?" Flash tried to do the puppy dog eyes. "Who trained you?"

"Fine, fine," Nightwing rolled his eyes. "Batman trained me."

The reaction was hilarious. More than half the cafeteria started choking on their food. Others looked disbelieving and were chuckling while Batman himself just went still to the point where it didn't look like he was breathing. Flash forced his eyes to go wide.

"Wait, what?!" The speedster said in (fake) shock.

"Batman trained me." Nightwing said calmly. "Or, at least, the Batman I know trained me."

Batman stared at Nightwing. He calmly folded up his lap top, stood up, and walked away. He refused to believe he had trained Nightwing. Batman worked better alone. And he would not work with a child. They ate in silence, while the chatter of the cafeteria went up with the revelation of who trained the 'guests'.

Flash winced, "Ah, c'mon, lets get back to the pile of scrap and see if we can make the device thingy."

They went back to the device, and worked on it, occasionally telling stories and asking questions. There was one question Wally really wanted to ask, but he didn't dare. Instead, he asked a different one.

"So . . . You guys said something happened to the Wally you knew. What was it?"

Dick froze, while Roy frowned and shot him a glance.

"It's-" Roy struggled to find a word. "-complicated."

"What happened to him?" Flash asked, and he didn't have to fake the curiosity on his face. He genuinely wanted to know the answer, but he wanted to know it in case it was what happened to him.

Nightwing stood up. He was tense, and his expression was pained.

"I have," Nightwing paused. "To go . . . somewhere." He finished lamely.

He left the room.

Roy called after him, "Wait, Nightwing! . . . Ah, shoot. He's going to be gone for a bi-Where are you going? Wait, not you too!"

Flash had gotten up and started to head after Nightwing. Roy was surrounded by parts, and if he tried to get out to run after them, he would break the parts. Roy knew that by the time he got out, the duo would be gone. Frustrated, Roy glared at the parts in his hands, willing them back together. It didn't work.

* * *

"Hey, wait up! Nightwing!" Wally chased Nightwing. A few heroes in the halls gave them strange looks, but most ignored them.

Wally ended up following Nightwing to a rarely used area of the Watchtower. He ducked into a room, and Wally followed. Inside the room, it was quiet. There were a few stray chairs and a layer of dust in the room.

Dick was sitting in the middle of the room. He was sitting with his knees pulled to his chest. Dick was wearing a black t-shirt and grey sweat pants, slightly big on him since they were clothes that Superman was thoughtful enough to get. Roy was wearing a red t-shirt and black sweatpants. Both had on their respective equipment they got from the evidence room, including their masks.

Right now, Dick's mask was off, both figuratively and literally. Wally could see the lines from wearing it so long. At the moment, Dick looked so much like a child despite all he had seen and all he had faced. Wally had a flash back of meeting an eleven-year-old Robin, and Robin's optimism, despite working with Batman. Of a kid he fought beside, who trusted him, who became his little brother to protect.

Wally had the sense he failed in the big brother department for a while now. And Wally was reminded that Dick was only nineteen, no matter how mature he acted Dick still needed someone to be there for him, especially since Batman was off world during the invasion. Wally somehow knew it had been up to him to be there for Dick, but he had failed.

"Hey." Wally said. He stood crouched down about two feet away. Wally was looking at Dick cautiously, like he was an animal that might bolt, or attack.

There was a pause when Dick opened his mouth, then it all came out. The invasion, the plan, the MFDs, and Wally 'dying'.

"It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known." Wally told him.

Dick shook his head stubbornly. "Still my fault. Wally, he was-like my brother. He reminded me a lot of my cousin*****, and I just-I've lost enough family. It's just hard. Wally made a promise to be there. It was stupid to think he would keep it after everything."

Wally got a sickening feeling in his stomach that made him queasy. "What do you mean?"

"Wally and I, we used to be close. And in the beginning, it was mainly just us. Roy, Wally, and myself. Kal was there sometimes, but not often. Roy was like the overprotective big brother. We weren't-he wasn't close enough to my age to-connect. I mean, he was an awesome brother, but-he grew up and moved on." Dick shook his head, finding it difficult to put into words.

"Was." Wally said. "What do you mean by that?"

"One question at a time." Dick joked weakly. "Wally was only two years older than me, and we sort of grew up together. We hung out a lot, and he became my best bro. Then the age difference started making itself known. Wally got a girlfriend. She's awesome, and is like my older sister. But Wally-He just started to forget. Nothing mattered but Artemis, everything else was second. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy he had Artemis, they've dated for, like, six years before he-, but . . .

"Wally just needed to learn time management. The other Team members would notice it, and tried to give him subtle hints or tips, especially when he started to space out on missions, but he either ignored them or had a one-track-mind and was oblivious to the fact that people need him. Not like that, we were just . . . I didn't have a lot of friends at school, okay? Not hanging out, it just became noticeable for the two of us. At least for me. Wally didn't notice.

"I needed my brother, and he didn't care. He wasn't there, something he promise not to do. The last straw was when he forgot _that _day. He swore he never would, but he did, and he got there too late. And Roy-he had a personal crisis, and he forgot that there were people who cared about him, and he just sort of went off the deep end, and then the invasion happened, and Batman wasn't there, and Wally died still hating me, and I hurt so many of my friends and family-"

"Dude," Wally interrupted in a firm voice. His next words came out before he could stop them. "You're rambling and on the verge of a panic attack. Calm down. I don't-I'm sure he doesn't hate you, and that he was mad at you because I-he was worried for you. I know-can tell you have a habit of blaming everything on yourself. It wasn't your fault, Dick."

"I just wish everyone I cared about didn't leave me." Dick continued rambling, ignoring Wally. "I know I'm older now, I'm supposed to be mature and I'm supposed to be grown up, but some fears never leave, and for some the hurt just-" Dick froze as the last part of what Wally said registered in his mind.

Wally froze, too, realizing what he said. Dick looked towards Wally with shocked eyes. There were tear tracks on his face, and tears in his eyes. His expression conveyed shock, disbelief, and his eyes held, in all of the sorrow, guilt, and self-loathing, a glimmer of hope.

Dick whispered, mostly to himself, "You called me Dick. I-I never told you my name. You called me Dick. How did you know . . .?"

Dick's voice faded into silence.

He wiped at the tears in his eyes and fixed Wally with a piercing stare. Wally squirmed internally. He had always joked about Dick's stare making others uneasy because of the unusual color of Dick's response, Dick joked about Wally's eyes. The two of them were always able to have hour long discussions over pointless, stupid, dumb, and ridiculous things. Dick's eyes were expressive, and right now that spark, that glimmer of hope, had become a flame.

They were brothers, family, best friends, teammates, partners-in-crime, and maybe it was a little brother thing, or a Bat thing, he didn't know. In that moment, Wally knew that Dick knew.

Dick stared at Wally. Neither moved. Finally, Wally went over and hugged Dick as it occurred to him that this was real, Dick was here, and Dick was one of the people who knew Wally better than Wally himself, and vice versa for Dick. Dick leaned into the hug, and Wally repeatedly called himself stupid internally for not noticing how much Dick was hurting.

Dick had, ever since he went to Juvie, kept things in, kept things to himself, because he didn't want to hurt someone, especially a person he cared about. Adults, people older than him, couldn't be trusted to Dick, because in Juvie they would never care about him, or what happened to him. In Juvie, Dick had only himself. How could Wally have forgotten this annoying habit? How did he not notice?

Before he knew it, Wally was crying, and Dick was crying, and both of them were crying. Neither could seem to put into words how sorry they were, for fighting against each other, for not being there, for forgetting that first and foremost, they were brothers, and any girl they date would have to accept the other, because they were a package deal, bros even though they weren't blood related.

Not that Artemis would have minded Dick visiting them. She was one of the few who noticed how often they fought compared to how they used to be. Artemis would tease about them dating each other, they used to be that close. Both of them, however, were straight and had no interest in each other as they repeatedly told Artemis. And it was true.*****

Right now, their 'sappy moment' as Artemis would put it, after calling them teenage girls, was winding down. The tears were stopping, though their grip on each other was not. At the moment, Wally was just incredibly happy that someone he knew, really knew and who he wasn't lying to, was there.

Wally, upright and hugging Dick with his chin over Dick head, carrying him almost bridal style with Wally sitting on his knees, the way he had carried Dick (bridal style) a lot when they were younger, or would hold him like this after a nightmare, except Wally's legs would be crossed. Wally said in a quiet voice,

"It wasn't your fault, okay? I should've known, I should've been there for you, like a big brother should be there when you need them."

Dick let out a weak laugh that sounded like he was still crying (he was), "It's my fault, too. I stopped reaching out to you."

"Because I kept shutting you down." Wally countered. It was his fault too. Wally had been denying that for too long, as hard as it was to admit that to himself.

They both stared at each other. They both burst out laughing, separating from their hug and falling backwards. They both sat up and stopped, propped up on their arms. They gave each other a watery smile. It was like something that had been missing for years between them had reconnected.

"W-We're both idiots, aren't we?" Dick said.

Wally sighed in mock sadness, "I'm afraid we always have been."

Dick let out a grin, and although it was shaky and only a shadow of what the grin he use to give back when he was Robin, it was the first genuine grin Wally had seen directed at him since Dick had become Nightwing that was outside the mask of Nightwing since Jason's death. Sure, there were rare, fleeting grins in mask, or outside the mask, but they never lasted long enough.

Dick had faced so much in the past three years. Jason, Dick's little brother had died, Tula had died, Ted Kord had died, the fights and tense situation with Batman, the invasion, the plan, fighting with Wally, running the Team for a little, and Wally's own 'death'. And God knows what else.

Dick gave a shaky laugh, one that sounded like he was crying and laughing at the same time.

"It wasn't your fault. You're an awesome little brother, alright?" Wally spoke again.

Another shaky laugh. "Not so little anymore, am I right?"

Wally let out his own shaky laugh. "I'm afraid so. I liked it better when you were a head and then some shorter than me, you were so much easier to carry as a midget."

Dick gave a weak smirk. "I prefer 'travel size'."

"You'll always be my little brother, no matter how old you get. I'll make sure to say it in front of every girl you ever date for the sake of embarrassing you. Big brother privilege." Wally said.

"You're not that much older than me." Dick reminded. He hesitated, before asking Wally, "I-Is it really you? I mean, you said you've been the Flash for eight years, but you look the same-"

"I came here eight years ago, after stopping the MFD in the Artic. As for the whole age thing, I've never been able to figure that out. I figured it always had something to do with me traveling dimension via the Speed Force. I'm the Wally you knew, believe me."

He seemed genuine, and he knew about the Artic, but Dick had just told him about it. There was a part of Dick that had a gut feeling this was Wally, but the part of him that was logical and paranoid, suspicious at all times wanted evidence. Something that only the Wally Dick knew would know. He racked his brains for something, anything. It came to him.

"Prove it." Dick challenged. Wally nodded. Dick continued, "On that mission to Haly's Circus, the one before New Years where we stopped Vandal Savage, the Light, and saved the mind controlled Justice League you called me on the coms. We talked and . . . I told you, and I quote, _'I didn't bring you along_ because_ you know my back story. I didn't want my best pal questioning my objectivity*****.' _What did you say in response?"

To Dick and Wally, this conversation and what they said stood out for both of them.

Wally responded without hesitation, "_'Dude, that's what a best pal's for*****.'"_

Dick's eyes widened, "I knew it." he said quietly. "I _knew _it was you. I thought it wouldn't be possible, that it was wishful thinking . . ."

"Can't fool a Bat, can you?" Wally sighed. "What gave me away?"

To be honest, some part of Wally expected that Dick would know. Or at least suspect. Dick had been giving him calculating glances after working on the machine with him for, oh, five days. The glances came on day three.

Dick answered immediately, "One, I've known you for eight years. Two, it was the way you talked to us, the way you would easily turn your back to us, trusting us not to turn on you, and the glances you shoot us. You'd always look guilty and unsure. Why didn't you tell us, Wally?"

Dick's tone turned accusing. Wally winced. "I-I was afraid. I just wasn't sure that you were, well, the you I know. I was just . . . afraid. Please don't kill me. I'm pretty sure Roy would like to do the honors when he finds out-" Wally's eyes widened when he realizes Roy doesn't know.

Dick had the same _Oh crap _thought, before he says determinedly, "We're telling Roy. If you won't, I will."

Dick stood up, and offered a hand to Wally. As Wally stood up, Dick had to admit he was still angry at Wally. Making a split second decision, Dick punched Wally on the jaw.

"Owwww . . ." Wally groaned in pain. "I guess I deserved that." Wally felt his jaw. Nothing was broken, but he would have one heck of a bruise. "Feel better?"

Dick paused as he was turning to walk to the door. Turning around, he kicked Wally in his shin, then swept his legs put from under him.

Dick bent over and picked up his mask. After putting it on when he was done wiping the tears away, Dick answered cheekily, "Much better."

Muttering curses, Wally got up and followed Dick out the door. Dick packed one helluva kick, and it didn't help that he had his steel-toed-combat-boots on. Nightwing was careful, at least, not to break Wally's shin, but Wally would have a nasty bruise.

* * *

When they got back to the room, they had some explaining to do. Roy ranted and cursed at them for a good ten minutes. After Roy was done, it was Wally's turn to tell Roy the truth.

Roy stared at Wally. They were in the plain metal room with metal tables that had the machine parts and equipment on it. There was a ring of parts on the floor, and Roy was standing outside the ring staring at Wally, who had stepped forward and off to the right of Dick. Nightwing himself was staring at Roy, waiting to see what he'd do. Good thing Nightwing had 'improved' the cameras.

Roy stared at Wally. And stared. And stared. And stared.

Wally frowned in concern, starting to take a step forward, "Dude, are you alri-"

In the next seconds, the sound of a fist hitting a flesh was heard as Roy punched Wally. Roy's fist hit Wally's cheek, while Dick had punched his actual jaw. It was on the same side of his face, and Wally knew he was going to look interesting tomorrow. After that, Roy promptly declared that Wally was a jackass before squeezing the life out of him in a hug.*****

After multiple threats made by Roy to kill him, Wally told him exactly what he told Dick. He ended up here eight years ago after 'ceasing' as Dick said Blue Beetle's scarab put it. Currently, they were all standing around awkwardly, not sure what to say to one another now that they had their reunion.

Dick broke the silence, and asked Wally, "So, shouldn't you look eight years older, or are you just really well preserved? Or were you bit by a bloodsucker and became a vampire?"

Roy smacked the back of Dick's head. "I think sleep deprivation is finally getting to you."

Wally shook his head, "Yes to the first one, no to the second, and as for the third, I certainly hope not. I haven't gotten any strange urges to suck someone's blood, so I'm gonna go with no. But you did bring up a good question, Nightwing."

Roy and Dick stared at Nightwing, waiting for an answer. Wally continued, "I should look eight years older, but I don't. I always assumed that was a side effect of how I got here. But seeing you makes me think that maybe time is faster here, and because my home dimension isn't this one, I'm aging as fast as time goes in our home dimension."

"Or maybe time goes the same as the time here, and we aren't the Roy and Dick you know, and you aren't the Wally we know, and the Roy and Dick you know are eight years older, while you didn't age because it actually is a side effect of how you got here." Dick mused out loud.

Roy stared at Dick. He said, "First, you made my head hurt. Second, I'm going to go with you're wrong on that theory and talking crazy. Third, I've decided that dimension traveling and how time works in general makes my head hurt. Fourth, I've decided that the reason you are talking crazy is because you need to sleep."

Wally stared at Dick. He said, "You know, I'm going to go with Roy on this one. So, Roy, how much time has passed since I 'ceased'."

"Four months." Roy answered.

That got Dick thinking. "Wally, you said you've been here for eight years, right?" Wally nodded. "Four months has passed since you . . . Uh, ceased. That means that for every two years here, a month goes by at home."

Wally questioned, "How long to get back in half that?"

Dick, mathlete brain kicking in, said, "It all depends on how long it takes to construct this . . . thing. If we're careful and we work hard, we might be able to get this done in a year."

"A year?!" Roy yelled.

Dick held up a hand for Roy to be quiet before saying, "In this dimension's time. That means that in are home dimension, we should get back in about fifteen days."

Roy said, "A lot can happen to Lian and Ja-to everybody in fifteen days."

All of them became quiet as a thought struck them, mainly Wally. The speedster said slowly, "Guys," Roy and Dick looked at him. "You didn't know I was alive, did you?"

Roy and Dick looked at each other. They answered quietly, "No."

Dick asked, "Wally, where are you going with this?"

"I'm saying that if you guys didn't know I was dead, everybody back home didn't know . . ." Wally's voice trails off.

Roy finished the sentence. "Everyone thinks we're dead."

Silence.

"All the more reason to get back as soon as we can." Dick said in a confident voice, though on the inside he was dying. Was Bruce alright? How was he coping? How was everyone coping? Was Barbara alright?

Wally cleared his throat. "Right. So what are we going to do?"

Roy frowned as he thought about something. "Wally, does anyone else, beside us, know that you're not from around here?"

Wally said nervously, eyes darting around the room, "Well other than Batman, that'd be a no."

Twin frowns were sent in sync at Wally.

"You should tell them," Dick told Wally.

Wally sighed. "I know, I know, but . . . After the whole Justice Lords thing, and then here eight years passed without you guys coming, I just-I planned to, but time went on, and I never managed to tell them. Telling them now, after eight years? The League has enough mistrust and tension, I don't want to add to it. And what if there is no way to get back? What if the machine doesn't work? Things will be hard enough with you guys trying to fit in, unless you choose to be normal civilians."

Now it was Dick's turn to sigh. "I see your point."

"So, what do we do now to get this hunk of junk working?" Roy said, looking in distaste at the machine.

Wally bit his lip. "I think we're gonna need to go to outside places to get some help building it."

"Batman? In case you haven't notice he doesn't exactly like-" Roy started to say, but was interrupted by Dick.

"I don't think he means that." Dick said slowly, looking at Wally.

Wally mischievously said, "We have a S.T.A.R. labs here."

Roy said, realization dawning on him, "Jail break."

"Bingo." Wally said.

Dick sighed, "If we are going to bust out, we at least need to think of a name. I'm getting tired of calling what we're building 'thing' 'device' 'machine' or 'it'."

Smirking, Roy said, "How about piece o' sh-"

"Not what I had in mind." Dick interrupted Roy quickly.

"Ooh! Ooh, I know! How's D.T.D sound?" Wally added his two cents.

Roy frowned. "Wasn't that the stuff that was killing eagle's because it was causing the egg shells to be too thin?"

"That's DDT*****." Dick corrected. "Wally, what does D.T.D. stand for?"

"Dimension traveling device." Wally stated, a look of pride on his face because he came up with that.

A pause, then Roy snorted. "Sounds like something Superboy would name it."

"Let's just call it _Project Homeward Bound_, since we're trying to use it to get home."

"Isn't that a movie?" Wally asked out loud.

"Yeah, I think it's the one where the cat and two dogs are trying to make it back to their home." Dick answered.

Wally frowned in thought. "So that makes us a cat and two dogs? Because then you're-"

"Who cares, can we go already?" Roy interrupted. "Besides, that's not the name of the tech. I vote we call it _Nero_.*****"

"We're taking a vote on this? Since when?" Wally said, confused. He was ignored.

"We are not calling it after a crazy Roman emperor." Dick told Roy.

The three of them went silent.

Wally broke the silence, "I have a compromise-" Dick and Roy looked at Wally "-How about we call it _Project Homeward Bound_, the tech itself D.T.D, and the actual machine _Chance_, after one of the dogs in the movie _Homeward Bound*****_."

" . . . I still want to call it _Nero_." Roy grumbled. "The thing is driving me crazy."

"So we call it _Chance_, because it's our 'chance' to get back home?" Dick asked Wally.

Wally responded, "Yes. So all in favor of calling it _Chance_?"

"Yes."

Pause. " . . . Roy?"

A sigh. "Yes."

* * *

Nightwing, Red Arrow, and Flash were currently in a S.T.A.R. labs located in Central City. Wally was dressed in his Flash suit. Nightwing and Red Arrow noted the differences in Wally's Flash suit compared to Barry's Flash suit. Wally still had the Flash ring, the suit itself was red, and Wally had the same starlight lenses. He had the lightning bolts on the side of his head, and the lightning bolts on his waist and wrist.

Wally had the same boots, except they went a little higher up his legs than just above the ankle. He had the Flash insignia on his chest, except it was surrounded by gold. The yellow itself was a shinier golden color, while on Barry's flash costume it was more of a yellowish golden color.

Noticing their looks, Wally said, "I wanted to make it different from Uncle B's, but not that different. I miss him, and wearing this is just a reminder, no matter how much I love it."

Nightwing nodded. "Why didn't you just stay Kid Flash?"

"Can't be Kid Flash without the Flash. " Wally replied.

After that, they fell back into a comfortable silence. All of them were worried for the people they cared for back in their home dimension, and Wally still had no answer to Batman's question. Wally used to try not to think about how he got here and who he left behind, but seeing Nightwing and Red Arrow only brought the urge to go back stronger. Wally was torn.

If there is a way to get Nightwing and Red Arrow back, would he go back with them? These were the speedster's thoughts as all of them went through information. Currently, they were in a rarely used room in S.T.A.R, surrounded by files of information and parts.

Nightwing was going through and downloading the digital files with any useful information. Red Arrow was going over the paper files, putting any remotely useful ones in one pile, discarding the others into another pile. Wally was doing the exact same thing Red Arrow and Nightwing were doing, except he was also identifying the machine parts to be able to determine whether or not they're useful.

It was mind numbing work, and after a couple of hours of being here, all of them were sure their absence had been noticed. Even with Nightwing's 'improvements' to the cameras. Flash could only hope that it was Booster Gold's turn to watch the cameras that showed them working on _Chance, _and that Booster Gold had fallen asleep.

Superman had devised a schedule where one hero would watch Nightwing, Red Arrow, and Flash as a precaution in case Nightwing and Red Arrow turned on Flash, attacking Flash to get out. What he didn't count on was Flash going along with Nightwing and Red Arrow in the escape.

The lights in the room flickered. Nightwing decided it would be a good time to say, "Well that doesn't seem bad at all."

Red Arrow smacked him upside the head. Red Arrow asked Flash a silent question.

Flash said, "No, none of the rouges I know would be interested in attacking S.T.A.R. Try robbing a bank, or even vandalizing the Flash museum."

Flash cast a slightly nervous glance to Nightwing and Red Arrow. Neither of them had on their uniforms, Roy had on a red t-shirt with black sweatpants, while Dick was wearing a black t-shirt with grey sweatpants. Both had on their equipment they got from the evidence room. Carefully, all of them pulled out their weapons. Flash lifted his hands to the top of his head, as if to pull down a pair of goggles that wasn't there. He stopped, and put his hand down.

Roy pulled out his bow and notched an arrow. Dick took out his escrima sticks*****and got into a fighting stance. Wally got into a fighting stance that would easily allow him to run. All three of them stood back-to-back, in something resembling a triangle.

The lights flickered again, before they went out.

* * *

**Somewhere in the monitor room at the Watchtower: **

Booster Gold cast a startled glance around (He had been snoring so loud he woke himself up*****). He was supposed to be watching Nightwing, Red Arrow, and Flash through cameras set up in the room, but he ended up leaning back in his chair with his feet propped up on the table, arms crossed. Booster Gold had fallen asleep a little before lunch.

Seeing that no one was around, Booster Gold relaxed and planned to go back to 'watching' Flash, Red Arrow, and Nightwing. Casting a glance at the screen in front of him, Booster Gold's mouth dropped open and he gaped at the screen. On all four of the camera screens, there was an icon that vaguely looked like Nightwing, with black hair and a domino mask.

The icon was flashing green, and it was smirking (_Smirking!) _at Booster Gold. The background the icon was on was static. How did he not notice that? Oh, right, he was asleep. To add insult to injury, it looked like the icon was bouncing up and down in silent laughter. Booster Gold started running out of the room to where Flash, Red Arrow, and Nightwing were hopefully (for his sake) still working on the machine.

As he ran out of the small storage-room-turned-monitor-room-to-supervise-the-visitors, Lady Luck showed that it apparently had something against Booster Gold today, because his replacement for the night shift, Green Lantern (John Stewart) arrived grumpy and in a bad mood. Booster Gold knocked the Green Lantern over on his way out the door, causing John to send a curious glance at the cameras and an annoyed look at Booster Gold.

This caused John to go running after Booster Gold when he saw the camera screens. Both of them arrived at a long-since empty room. Booster Gold stood frozen while John yelled at him. As if the universe was out to scold him, Batman, on his way to the teleportation platforms in the hopes of patrolling Gotham, heard them. Eventually, an emergency League Founders meeting was called, with Booster Gold as a 'guest'.

The search for Flash, Nightwing, and Red Arrow began.

* * *

**Am I evil enough to leave it on a cliff hanger after the longest chapter I have written so far for this story? Answer: yes. I beg of you to not kill me, that way I'll be able to update again. I apologize for any mistakes, and if I'm writing with an accent. Sorry if any of the characters are off. **

**As for the companion story on the ones Roy and Dick left behind, I'm working on it.. I'm already writing the third chapter for it, I just want to get a lot of this story done before I start publishing the companion story. **

***In the YJ comics, Dick had a cousin, and aunt, and an uncle who also fell on the trapeze when his mom and dad fell.**

***Nothing against Bird Flash shippers, everyone's entitled to their own opinion. I may be going overkill in stressing the brother relationship, and I may be reading to far into this, but I just want to be sure and I'm trying to look at the story from all angles. I'm not trying to offend any Bird Flash shippers either. **

***Quote from the episode _Performance, _what Dick said to Wally. I love this conversation. I'm assuming Dick hacked it so it's on a private line the other can't here. Considering they never asked him about it, it makes sense.**

***Quote from the episode _Performance, _what Wally said back to Dick. **

***A tip of the hat to my guest reviewer in Chapter 2 who wanted Roy to punch Wally then give him a hug when Roy finds out that Flash is the Wally they know.**

***DDT actually did cause eagles to die. Rachel Carson wrote a book about it called _Silent Spring _**

***A crazy Roman emperor I learned about in Social Studies. **

***Chance is the name of one of the dogs from Homeward Bound. **

***Homeward Bound is an actual movie. I love the movie, and I have no idea how it ended up in here, but it just . . . did. I couldn't resist. **

***I'm not sure if that is how you spell it.**

***Be honest, have any of you ever actually done this? I haven't, but people I know have. **

**Reviews are excellent encouragement to update quicker, and for longer chapters. I hope this chapter was long enough for you, IceAurora, who asked me to make the chapters longer. And again, reviews that help me are greatly appreciated. Reviews that insult me or the story, and don't help me improve in any way, are not. I'm trying to stress this point, because I know people can be really mean and hurtful. **

**I know I'm being repetitive, but oh well. I know it's possible for this to happen to me, and I know it's happened to others. **

**PLEASE REVEW! PLEASE REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! It's not like it's hard, and it doesn't take too long. REVIEW! **

**It helps me update faster :)! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**


	6. Talks and Toxic Chemicals

**And I'm back. I had my birthday a few months ago, I'm now one year older, and my first year anniversary of being a writer on this site was on August 4th. I'll admit, I've always had crazy ideas of what would happen for lots of cartons, movies, songs, shows, books, etc. but I'm still getting use to writing the crazy ideas into stories and publishing them. I like it, though, and I'm going to keep doing it. Ugh, I'm sorry this took a little long, I was struggling on which villain to use, even though I knew what I was going to write for this chapter. **

**I've started school now, so I'm busier, but I'll still update. In fact, I'm trying to set up a schedule where I work on it during the week after school and homework, maybe a little on the weekends, posting it sometime during the weekends or Monday. I want to complete this story, I'm not going to abandon it, no matter how much it seems likely 'cause of slow updates. I'm going to finish this story even if it kills me.**

**On a different note, someone asked me to make the chapters longer and I did. I'm starting to want to make the chapters a little shorter, because I know some people just get bored reading so many words in one go and it wears them out. Besides, part of the excitement in a story is constantly checking for an update, then cheering when the author updated. After you read the chapter, it starts all over again. ****Is around 4,000 words sound good? Let me know what you think. **

**And to answer a question from a reviewer, I'm going to try and clear up the timeline a little. I remember that Artemis visited Wally's parents on, like, June 20th, so I'm going with that as the day the invasion ended. Around four months later, this story happens. Wally has been in the JL dimension for eight years, but he hasn't aged because he is not a native to that dimension and he ages the way he would in his home dimension.**

**Since four months have happened in his home dimension, that means one month equals two years. Half of a month equals one year. Since that month is October, in their home dimension that is like fifteen to sixteen days. But remember, a lot can happen in half a month. Dick contacted Bruce after four months of nothing on October 20th, visited Jason on the 23rd, and Damian, the lovely little devil, paid him a visit on the 24th. Hopefully that cleared things up. To the reviewer, yes, they'll be stuck for a year, at least to them. **

**In that amount of time, a lot can happen. I'm not going to do the whole year, that'll take forever, and I have something else in mind. Mwuhahahaha . . . One more thing, I'm thinking of doing a two-shot of when Damian pays Dick a visit. And a one-shot of when Dick visits Jason and contacts Bruce. Let me know what you think and want to see. I'm always open to inspiration from others. Sometimes the right words can make people update faster, because they were inspired.**

**On with the story! **

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.**

* * *

Red Arrow, Nightwing, and Flash stood in the darkness. All of them were on high alert. After all, lights didn't flicker and go out without good reason. Carefully, they walked to the door, still on high alert. The building, once noisy with the sound of workers bustling back and forth, and the hum of the different machines, was silent. As they walked down the corridor, Flash ran ahead, checking the rooms.

All the scarlet speedster found were scientist, scared and some crying, crouched low to the ground and huddled together. Shouting and sounds of a struggle were heard. The boys rushed to the fight. Joker was just standing there, his ever-present grin on his face. In his hand, he held some sort of cylinder container. A scientist lay on the ground, whimpering. Joker smiled at them, spreading his hands out in a 'welcoming' gesture. It was probably meant to be warm, but 'warm' for Joker was 'terrifying' to other people.

Nightwing, seeing Joker, forgot that for a moment that this was not the Joker he knew. "What do you want, Joker?"

"Look who's a little a little Batsy Junior. I don't recall giving you my name. And you didn't even introduce yourself!" Joker sighed dramatically. "How rude."

"Why are you here in Central?" Flash asked, baffled.

Joker's grin widened. Flash, Red Arrow, and Nightwing noticed that he had some sort of container in his hands. "Why are you here in Central, he asks." Joker mocks Flash. "Can't a guy just go sight-seeing, kill a few people, you know, have a fun time putting _smiles_ on everyone's faces."

Joker rolled his eyes when he saw that all three of them still had their guards up. Whining, he says, "Can you at least tell me your names before I kill you? Nothing?" The boys stayed silent, their attention on Joker.

Joker sighs. "Ah, well, sadly I am on a rather tight schedule. Harley, my dear, can help you help them set up an appointment?"

Harley Quin and a whole heck of a lot of goons came through the door. Nightwing, Red Arrow, and Flash didn't come across them in the hallways earlier because Harley started on the other side of the building, away from them with the goons. Harley immediately swung her hammer towards Flash, to try and take him out before he used his super-speed to take the goons various weapons.

Caught off guard by her arrival, Flash barely had time to duck Harley's first swing. Nightwing and Red Arrow started to spread out, multiple goons attacking them. Flash didn't manage to duck Harley's second swing, and it connected, sending him into the wall. As Harley went to deliver the finishing blow, Nightwing flipped over the two thugs he was fighting and stepped in the way.

He blocked Harley's hammer, and side-kicked her. She went flying toward the other side of the room, where the door was. Somehow during the fight, they ended up on the other side of the room. As Flash was recovering and Harley went flying, Red Arrow noticed the Joker trying to escape during the confusion and managed to put a tracker on his shoe before he went out the door.

Joker barked an order at two of the goons, and they picked up Harley. Joker, Harley, and the two goons fled. Some other goons fled with them. By the time Red Arrow and Nightwing finished off the remaining goons and burst out into the hallway, they were already out of sight. The scientist were gone, the last few stragglers in the Lobby area, almost to the door.

Bombs, planted by the Joker, went off, and the building started to shake and crumble. Nightwing and Red Arrow raced back into the room. They flung Wally's shoulders over their own shoulders, supporting him. Wally gave a little groan.

"Quiet, you." Red Arrow told him. "Let's see if me and Nightwing remember how to get out of here. The building's coming down."

This caused Wally to groan louder.

* * *

The League was frantically searching for Flash when they finally got a location. They were at S.T.A.R labs in Central City. The League went to go and save the Flash, but when they got there, they saw something completely different. The building was crumbling. Superman looked to make sure that no one was inside, and he saw that the last few scientists were exiting.

Then came Flash, Nightwing, and Red Arrow. Nightwing and Red Arrow were both supporting Flash, who was in between them with his arms on each of their shoulders. Flash had a nasty gash on his head. Superman, Hawkgirl, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman immediately assumed the worst.

Martian Manhunter and Batman did not. J'ohn held up his hand. "They would not save him if they were the ones to harm him."

The League members landed from where they were flying, or in some cases, being carried. They landed on the ground, accusing glares already on their faces directed at Nightwing and Red Arrow.

"We can explain-" Roy opened his mouth.

"I don't know," Green Lantern gestured to the building and Flash. "I'd say this is all the evidence we need. Destroying a building, kidnapping and injuring Flash-"

"We didn't-" Nightwing tried to protest.

"You hurt our friend, there must be consequences." Wonder Woman declared, glaring at Nightwing and Red Arrow. She had her hand on her lasso.

"Agreed." Hawkgirl agreed, gripping her mace.

"We told you-" Nightwing tried to speak again, but he was interrupted.

"And how can we believe anything you say, especially after this?" Green Lantern said angrily. "We should have never given you a chance."

"Enough! We are not being productive standing here arguing. Nightwing, Red Arrow step away from Flash and put him down gently-" Superman spoke.

"Hell no you idiots-" Roy started to say angrily, and scowl on his face.

"Nightwing, if you are my . . . sidekick-" Nightwing winced, while Roy's scowl deepened. "-then you should know to listen to me when I say step away from Flash and come with us to the Watchtower." Batman said.

The Leaguers showed shock, watching the conversation. They were tense, ready for a fight.

"Like you have any right-" Roy began to shout, his face red.

"If he's my sidekick, then he should listen to orders." Batman growled back. He was annoyed, and would like to find out what the heck was going on. If Flash was as good friends with these two as he said he was, then how the heck had this happened?

"He's not your sidekick, you're not the Batman we know, therefore we don't have to listen to you, you-" Just as Roy was about to use a few choice words to describe Batman, Nightwing interrupted.

Nightwing had a thoughtful frown on his face and looked annoyed more than anything. "Partner."

"Pardon?" Batman asked, eyeing Nightwing warily.

"I'm your partner, not sidekick. There's a difference." Nightwing said with a frown still on his face. He was looking at Batman.

"In what way?" Batman challenged Nightwing.

"Partners help each other and work together. I was your partner, and your protégé." Nightwing said.

Superman couldn't help but let out a snicker. He had heard that Nightwing was Batman's 'kid', but didn't believe it. Batman with a kid? Replace 'with' with 'scares' and he'll believe it.

"What?" Nightwing and Batman said in sync, whipping their heads around and glaring at Superman. Roy almost snickered. Had it been a different situation, the League would have, too.

Superman blinked. "I'm sorry, but Batman with a kid? You can't expect us to believe that."

"If you opened up your eyes, maybe you'd see it. Batman was actually the first to get a _partner-_" Nightwing put emphasis on the word."-Believe that."

The others' mouth's dropped in shock.

"I wouldn't take in a child, much less a partner. I work better alone." Batman answered Nightwing, his face an emotionless mask.

Nightwing let out a flinch, which only Batman was able to detect. Batman narrowed his eyes. Nightwing shot back, "You work with the League, don't you?"

"I'm a part-timer, and the League is not allowed to set foot in Gotham unless it is an emergency or I give them permission." Batman replied.

Martian Manhunter, starting to get a headache from everyone's emotions, intervened. Some part of him was mildly afraid that he would be hit with batarangs.

J'ohn said, "We are not helping anyone by arguing." Making a decision, J'ohn reached up to his com. link. "Booster Gold, please transport us to the Watchtower. That is the Watchtower, not Washington D.C. or the state Washington."

Booster Gold beamed them up to the Watchtower, thankfully not either Washington. Booster Gold had made that mistake before, and it had been a nightmare. When they got up there, Martian Manhunter had been able to persuade Nightwing and Red Arrow to give up Flash. Batman whisked them off to a containment unit, and J'ohn took Flash to the medical bay to check him for any serious injury.

A few hours later, there was an earthquake disaster and the League was called in to help. Batman cursed the earthquake's horrible timing. There seemed to be a rise in natural disasters, as well as a rise in crime. Speaking of natural disasters, a tornado struck in Kansas. The tornado hit, unfortunately, multiple towns and a lot of people would be injured and in need of help.

Batman sent Superman, Martian Manhunter, and Green Lantern to help the people in the earth quake. He sent Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, and Booster Gold to help the people in the tornado. That left him in the Watchtower. Batman checked the location of the other Leaguers. Most were either dealing with crimes in their own cities, or their daily lives.

Aquaman was in Atlantis. Batman and Flash were in the Watchtower. With Nightwing and Red Arrow. Batman frowned, thinking about the argument he and Nightwing had. Did that boy seriously expect him to believe that he was the first one to take a partner? Speaking of which, how old was the boy when the other him took Nightwing in? And if he was his 'partner' why the hell had he chosen a name after a kryptonian legend? Batman would deny it under pain of death, but some part of him was annoyed that it was after a Kryptonian legend.

Batman's frown deepened to a scowl. He tried to push these thoughts aside, and decided to check on Flash. They needed to have a talk.

* * *

_Running. He was running. Running, running, running too fast. He only ever did this once before. Once, and it was oh-so-painful, and he just wants to keep running, because maybe he'll run home, maybe he'll run back, back to his family, but isn't Shayera and John and J'ohn, and Clark his family? Yes, they are, but so is Uncle Barry and Bart and Aunt Iris and Artemis and the Team and the League and oh he misses them. Even Dick and Roy, who he wasn't on the best of terms with when he left._

_Wally twitches. He knows, he KNOWS he's fading, getting swept away, but he has to defeat Luthor-Brainiac. At whatever cost. And then, Luthor is done, and Wally doesn't feel good, doesn't feel right, and he's fading away, running, running in the Speed Force and he wonders if he can get back, get back to Artemis, and then he's in between, looking at familiar sights like the Cave and the Hall of Justice, running through the streets of a different Central City. Home. The one he grew up in. But he also sees Shayera, and Clark, and John, and Bruce, and J'ohn._

_But no one can see him. He's going too fast. He needs to slow down, but he doesn't have the energy to punch through and travel between sides. If he doesn't do something he'll be stuck in between. That situation is bad for everyone. Shayera is calling for him, despite the fact that his homesick eyes think its so beautiful here. He tries to tell her how beautiful it is, wants her to understand. _

_He almost doesn't want to go back, the thought fills him with guilt, after all, he never told them how he got to their world, how he doesn't belong. Some part of him knows he's going fast enough to run in the in between, but not fast enough to transport all the way. He'll be stuck here, but he doesn't want to be. Because then he won't have a chance to go anywhere._

_He's going to take Shayera's hand, but there is one more thing he needs to do, a desire he needs to fulfil. Wally knows he needs to grab her hand soon, but he has time. Time, which seems to be going so slow now. He grabs Shayera's hand, but he's still running to her for a glimpse. Just a glimpse. And he sees her, sees Artemis, sitting on the couch hugging a pillow close to her chest, staring at nothing. Just . . . empty. She looks empty, broken. Because of him._

_The sight breaks his heart, because she's sad, and it makes him extremely happy to see her again. Then Hawkgirl and all the others pull him out. Wally told them he doesn't ever want to go that fast again. Part of him screams 'Liar!' while the other part agrees. He has enough energy to see his world, but not fully be a part of it, and to Wally, that is torture. He can't bear for him to see them and not know he's there. And Artemis-It killed him to see her like that, and if he can't help her, then it's not worth torturing himself by seeing her._

_And then Roy and Dick came, and they found out the truth, and his whole world, what he thought he knew, was turned upside down, and he has to get back to them, to Artemis, the League, and the Team. With the tech from the Lords, and with Roy and Dick's help, there might finally be a way to get back. Wally doesn't know if he'll come back. He wants to, but doesn't know for sure. But he wants to go, and he doesn't want to go . . . _

Wally wakes up. His eyes snap open, and he realizes he's in a med room with his uniform on and his cowl down. There were bandages around his head, and he had an IV drip in his arm. Wally tried to remember how he got here, but he only remembered breaking out, going to S.T.A.R labs, the lights going out, and fighting some bad guy.

Wally frowned. "What the heck happened?"

Right on cue, Batman walked. Wally immediately opened his mouth to ask what had happened, but Batman held up his hand.

"You need to listen. I have no idea what you were thinking, but that was one of the most idiotic things you have done."

Wally interrupted him. "Did you come in here just to lecture me? Where's Roy and D-Nightwing?"

"No, I did not. The League has assumed that you were forced into taking Nightwing and Red Arrow to S.T.A.R labs, because they do not know of your . . . history. This means the League now believes Nightwing and Red Arrow cannot be trusted and are dangerous. They were going to stop helping Nightwing and Red Arrow, but I managed to come up with another solution."

"They were going to what?" Flash gaped. He wondered aloud, "And won't people hear us talking?"

Batman ignored him. The room was sound proof, and there were no cameras in this room. "You are no longer working with them to complete the project. I will be taking your place."

"WHAT?!" Wally yelled in disbelief, furious. "You can't do that! I need to help them! It wasn't there fault, it was my idea to go to S.T.A.R labs!"

"Regardless of whose idea it was, the damage is now done." Batman told Wally.

"At least give them a chance!" Wally argued. "Or I could tell the League I know them!"

"They have been given a chance. As for telling the League you know them, that would raise more questions then it would solve. It would also cause the League to lose it's trust in you, since you have been keeping that secret for so many years." Batman said matter-of-factly. "I did what I could. Consider yourself lucky they aren't locked up in prison."

"Like any prison could hold them." Flash muttered. He spoke up again. "You have to let me help!"

"The decision has already been made." Batman stated.

"But it's going to take a year to build it, at least, and with your schedule it'll take even longer! Besides, I've worked on building it with them for longer. Plus, you can't blame them for leaving. They're two superheroes cooped up with no way to vent their frustrations other than training, and we know that isn't even close to the real thing! And we got a lot of information to help us build Chance, but it'll still take a while!"

"What are you trying to say? And what, may I ask, is Chance?" Batman asked Flash. He was scowling now.

Flash jumped at the chance Batman might listen. "See, that's what I mean! Chance is what we named the machine. You don't know that because you haven't been working on it."

Batman raised an eyebrow. Flash continued. "And I'm saying that they can't live in the Watchtower."

"Where would they live?" Batman asked Flash. Well, more like demanded that Flash tell him.

"With you and Green Arrow. Actually, Red Arrow would do better with his own place. Give them some freedom, and they can help you fight crime. Nightwing is used to working with you. Red Arrow knows how Green Arrow works. If I can make a life here, they can, too. Please." Flash pleaded. "Otherwise, they'll sneak out again, and this time, I won't be there. Knowing 'Wing and RA, they'll get into trouble, and they'll get hurt."

Batman frowned. "You know this decision, if it is made, will not be made solely by me. There is no guarantee that it will be made, or that it will happen. However, I am perfectly capable of working without a partner and-"

"Oh c'mon, Bats. You know you want to work with him and see how good he is. You want to know why the other you took him in." Flash interrupted him.

Batman glared at Flash. Flash persisted, "C'mon, at least tell the others my idea. You can even say it's my idea!"

Batman glared some more at Wally. He started to leave. At the door, Batman started to speak with his back to the speedster in bed. "I will consider it." Batman paused. "You will eventually have to tell the League the truth."

The door shut.

* * *

Batman considered himself a very capable man. Why on Earth he got a partner mystified him. Bruce had to admit, some part of him was curious. Nightwing was intriguing. Why, of all the people one Earth, had he chosen that boy? He would be a liar if he said some part of him didn't want to say yes to Flash's idea, if only to understand why. What makes that boy so special?

Batman pondered this as he walked back to the monitors. When he got there, a beep alerted him to the fact that something was wrong in Gotham. He cursed under his breath as he looked at the screen showing the news. Joker was threatening to release a toxic gas that, when released, would kill two-thirds of Gotham's population. The other third would be poisoned and would die eventually.

The chemical would be release through five bombs, as Joker happily explained. They were all set to go off at twenty minute intervals, unless Batman surrendered. Crap.

Batman stiffened at the sound of footsteps behind him. He turned around. Flash was there with the boy and Red Arrow.

"Why did you let them out?" Batman growled.

Flash said, "You need to know who we ran into at S.T.A.R labs. And I had to see if they were hurt or not."

"We tried to tell you, we ran into the Joker at S.T.A.R. labs, and Red Arrow-" Nightwing started to say, but Batman interrupted him.

"The Joker?" He growled.

Nightwing heard the question in his voice. "He was stealing somethi-Oh."

Nightwing saw the news playing the footage of the Joker.

Roy stepped up. "I put a tracking device on him. We can help."

"No." Batman answered immediately.

"Batman, c'mon, we can help." Flash tried to protest.

"No." Batman hissed.

"Bruce." That caused Batman to glare at Nightwing. "You can't do this alone, and we're losing time arguing. Let us help."

Batman muttered a curse. He sighed. He glared at them, gritting his teeth. "One time, and one time only."

Nightwing grinned happily. "Let's roll."

"Here's the plan . . ." Batman began to tell them.

The plan wasn't complicated. There were five bombs, and knowing Joker, Batman already had the most likely locations of where the Joker would be. Nightwing, Red Arrow, Flash, and Batman would split up and take out a bomb. Batman, noticing how much time had been on the bomb from the footage of Joker, knew that bomb would be going off last.

After each of them were done with there respective bombs, they would come together and take out Joker. They had his location because of Red Arrow's tracking device and the logo on the wall in the footage of Joker. It would be cutting it close, but if they timed it right, they could do it. Batman, Nightwing, Red Arrow, and Flash beamed down to Gotham, They split up.

* * *

Batman stood in the shadows in front of the warehouse. The four of them had split up to each disarm a bomb, and then meet up to take out the Joker. Flash came, and Batman heard the sound of Red Arrow approaching, He frowned. Where was Nightwing?

A voice from nowhere nearly made Batman jump, but he hid it. "Think it's a trap?"

"Undoubtedly it is." Batman responded in his usual deep, gruff monotone.

"Then let's go spring it." Nightwing said, smirking. The smirk clearly said that he knew he surprised Batman. Batman found himself annoyed.

Maybe Batman was starting to believe he trained Nightwing. He would know for sure when he saw some of the moves Nightwing used when fighting. And something about working with Nightwing felt-well, right. Nightwing seemed used to reading him. Batman wasn't sure whether or not that was a good or bad thing.

Batman ordered Red Arrow, "Go in from the roof, through one of the missing windows. Use it to get into the rafters, and fire on my signal. Flash, take out the men on perimeter. Right now we're in a blind spot, but there are men patrolling it. Come in on my signal. Nightwing, you're with me."

Both Nightwing and Red Arrow had on black Kevlar body suits Batman loaned out to them. They weren't the best fit, but the fit was good enough for them to be able to fight in. Other than that, they had on their own equipment.

"Wait, how will we know what the signal is?" Red Arrow asked, confused. Flash had the same look on his face, even though he was sort of used to working with this Batman. Batman did not answer.

Nightwing shot them a grin. "You'll know it when you see it."

"What's that suppose to me-they're already gone." Red Arrow started to say, then broke off, annoyed. It was true, Nightwing and Batman were gone. He cursed. "Damn Bats."

Flash said to Red Arrow as he moved to do his job, "Technically, Nightwing is a bird."

"Yeah, but he's a _Robin_." Roy stated. "Not a normal bird. Like it or not, they're all a bunch of Bats and Bat-Bird hybrids."

Flash rolled his eyes, and in a blur of red, he was gone. Red Arrow grumbled. He moved to take his position.

"What's the plan for us, Bats?" Nightwing asked Batman.

"This is obviously a trap set by the Joker. The best thing I could do is do the last thing he suspects I will do. You will be going around unseen to the back of the warehouse." Batman stated.

"So you're walking in the front door." Nightwing said. "And I'm sneaking in around the back."

Batman internally faced palmed. "Not the words I would have chosen, but yes."

Nightwing shot a half grin at him. Batman and Nightwing walked into the warehouse. It was just like any other warehouse, except for the bomb in the middle. Henchmen we're standing around everywhere in a circle around the bomb. A few turned, alarmed to see Batman. Joker was standing by the bomb, a bored expression on his face. Harley was standing nearby, giant hammer on her shoulder.

Joker's face lit up when he saw Batman. "Ah, Batsy! How unexpected of you. But weren't there a few other bombs you had to take care of?"

"They're disarmed." Batman said emotionlessly.

Joker snapped his fingers. "Darn. And I thought you'd be busy enough that the last bomb would at least get you. Did you call in any of the Justice Friends?"

"But Mista J, Lex said that his Doom thingy would keep the-" Harley began to say, but was interrupted.

"Quiet, Harley! No one asked you!" Joker said harshly.

"Lex Luthor." Batman stated. Lex Luthor would certainly explain some of the tech for the bombs Joker got. But how had he kept the other Leaguers occupied? Batman decided to put that investigation off for a later date.

Joker waved his hand. "Now, now, what does he have to do with this? NOTHING! That's what." Batman remain where he was. "C'mon, Batsy. do you ever crack a smile?" Joker frowned. "You know if you stay like that you're face will get frozen in that expression."

Batman said nothing, merely glaring at Joker.

Joker sniffed and turned his head. "Fine, be that way. Don't tell me if the Justice Friends are here, not like I need to know if I'm receiving more guest."

"He's not alone." Nightwing said, a taunting smirk on his face.

"Bats Junior! How unfortunate to see you survived that building falling down on you." Joker's eerie grin widened. "Junior's a lot like you, Batsy. But he _smiles!_"

With the Joker's back to him, Batman gave the smallest of nods. Nightwing immediately threw a batarang at Joker, rolling to the side to avoid the gun shots sent his way. Batman sent a punch to the henchman who had gotten a little too close to him for comfort while Joker was talking. Arrows began to rain down, pinning and disarming henchmen.

Batman watched Nightwing fight out of the corner of his eye. Nightwing clearly had a more acrobatic fighting style them him, but mixed in were moves that Batman himself knew well with the boy's own unique twist on them. He could also see a couple of Black Canary's moves. He made a mental note to ask Nightwing about that. A blur of red came into the room, and Flash immediately started taking down goons.

Nightwing moved to disarm the bomb, but Harley leaped at him.

"Oh no ya don't, ya little brat!" She shouted. Harley leaped at him, hammer swinging.

Nightwing ducked the hammer and began to fight Harley. Joker came and began to fight Batman, leaving Flash with the goons. Red Arrow dropped down from his spot in the rafters to help, punching and kicking. Batman, despite fighting the Joker, noted that Red Arrow's hand-to-hand combat resembled Black Canary's style mixed with Green Arrow's. Joker laughed madly as he swung his fist at Batman.

Harley swung her hammer down on Nightwing's head, but he dodged it. It hit the cement floor with a loud crack. Nightwing leaped up onto the handle of the hammer. Using it as a spring board, he round house kicked Harley Quinn in the head. She crumpled.

"Harley!" Joker said. He paused, then shrugged. "Eh, who'll miss her?"

He burst into another round of mad laughter. Batman punched him in the gut, then punched him in the face. Joker was out cold. Red Arrow and Flash finished up the henchmen.

"Flash, Red Arrow, get the henchmen, Joker, and Harley to the police. Nightwing, you're with me to help disarm the bomb."

Each rushed to their respective task. Nightwing and Batman looked at the jumbled mess of the wires. They were all green. A letter from the Joker spelled with cut out letters from magazines read 'CuT THe gREeN WIrE'. Batman and Nightwing gave each other a look. None of the other bombs had this on them. They looked at the clock. Seven minutes, thirty-three seconds and counting down quickly.

Batman and Nightwing drew on all the knowledge they had of disarming bombs. They debated on two wires, and cut the wire on the right. The wire quickly sped up, and suddenly they had a minute left. And counting. They cut the other wire, and both were relived when the timer stopped it's countdown. Batman carefully took the container full of the chemical off.

Nightwing grinned, and Batman's lips twitched. Something was infectious about the grin.

* * *

Later Red Arrow, Flash, Nightwing, and Batman stood on a nearby rooftop watching the police clean up Joker's mess. A bomb squad removed the bomb, while the henchmen were arrested and Joker and Harley were taken to Arkham Asylum. Batman took all of the containers full of the chemicals. He planned to give them to Flash to take back to S.T.A.R. labs.

He wanted to talk to Nightwing. It was clear the boy was talented, Batman had to admit grudgingly, but he had to know why. Why Nightwing? Red Arrow and Flash sensed this.

"Well . . ." Flash started to say awkwardly. "If you give me the containers, I can take the chemicals back. Red can come with, and we'll meet you at the Watchtower."

Red Arrow nodded. "Yeah . . ."

Batman handed them the containers. "Go." He told them.

And then it was just Batman and Nightwing on the roof. Batman moved to stand next to Nightwing at the very edge of the roof.

Both of them were silent. Dick could here the question Bruce was silently asking. "I had just turned eight when it happened."

Batman stayed silent, sensing that it would be best to stay quiet.

Dick continued, "We were acrobats in the circus. A crime boss named Tony Zucco tried to extort money from the circus, but Pop Haly didn't pay. Zucco sabotaged the wires. They fell. I didn't, because I wasn't allowed to do the finale, where we'd do our signature move. Always without the net. They fell, and I watched it from the center poll."

Bruce was shocked. Nightwing had watched his parents die? Dick didn't stop there. "The circus wasn't allowed to keep me there, despite Pop Haly being my godfather. My CPS worker didn't like gypsies. She was too lazy to send me to an empty foster home or orphanage somewhere else, because all of the ones in Gotham were full. I was sent to Juvie.

"I spent three months there. Until you made me your ward. You were in the crowd that night, and knew how I felt. I don't know exactly why you took me, but I think you didn't want me to end up like you. You saw yourself in me. It was two weeks before I found the Batcave. I also found out that you were going after Zucco. You didn't want my childhood consumed by revenge like yours was.

"I wanted to go after Zucco. He killed my parents, it was my job to bring him to Justice. You let me, because you knew I needed closure. It didn't stop there. I wanted to help people, try to save as many people as I could from feeling what I felt that night my family died. I still feel it, but it hurts less. Like a scar that hasn't quite healed. That will never heal.

"I went out each night in my old circus costume, and before you think bad about the other you, both you and Agent A-Alfred, I have no idea if he's Agent A here-tried to stop me. Eventually you decided to train me so I wouldn't get myself or anyone else killed. You trained me, and when I was nine I became Robin."

Bruce was struggling to come to terms with this. He said slowly. "So you're my . . . son?"

"Yeah. In a way, yes." Dick said. "I was twelve when you adopted me officially. I kept my last name, out of respect for my birth parents, and added yours."

Bruce frowned thoughtfully. "How old are you now?"

"I'm nineteen, almost twenty. At least in my own universe. I don't know if I'm in this one." Dick relaxed. Bruce wasn't yelling or accusing him of lying.

"You said you took the codename Robin. Why are you Nightwing now?" Bruce questioned him.

Nightwing shrugged. "No one can be a Boy Wonder forever. That, by the way, is what the media called me. Robin, the Boy Wonder."

Bruce tried to imagine what the other him was like. Nightwing seemed like an unusual person. Someone who knew what it was like to face against the darkness, but still dared to hope anyway. He got Batman's lips to twitch, something Flash had been trying to do for ages. Maybe this boy was meant to end up his-son. The word blew Bruce away.

The idea of having a family member again, even one not blood related shocked him to the core. The family of acrobats certainly explained why Nightwing's fighting style was so acrobatic. Taking in an eight year old would give Bruce a lot of responsibility. He would have had to start thinking about another person. It confused the Bruce here. At the same time, he could see what Dick was talking about. Bruce could almost see it in his minds' eye, how Nightwing would have looked when his parents were lost. A connection that formed between Nightwing and the other Bruce, like they were father and son.

Even though he was a different Bruce, he felt like he should at least try with the whole father thing. It was clear that Nightwing needed someone for him. He was hurting still, about something, but he wasn't showing what it was.

He came to a decision. "How would you like to . . . stay with me at the Manor?"

Nightwing's face showed open shock. He knew that, for his Bruce at least, it was hard to trust people. It seemed doubly harder for the Bruce here. Then again, a lot of people said that his Batman became less darker when Robin came. Dick never believed it, but seeing the Batman here, he could believe it.

"Yes." Dick answered without hesitation.

"Good. We need to go back to the Batcave." Batman said.

Nightwing looked confused. "But don't we have to go back to the Watchtower?"

"We can do that later." Bruce said dismissively. "I'm sure that Flash and Red Arrow will be fine, so long as Flash remembers to take Red Arrow back into the containment room. I can discuss what happen here tonight later with the League."

Nightwing grinned. "Sounds like a plan."

* * *

Needless to say, when the Batmobile pulled into the Batcave and out came two people, Alfred was very surprised.

"Something you would like to tell me, Master Batman?" Alfred asked.

"Alfred, this is Nightwing." Batman said. "Apparently he's my son from another universe. He will be staying with us at the Manor."

"Ah, the young man you have talked about, sir." Alfred nodded his head. He didn't even blink at the 'son-from-another-universe' part.

"Hi, Alfie!" Nightwing said happy to see a somewhat familiar face, even if it wasn't the Alfred he knew.

"I presume there is another Alfred that you know from your own universe?" Alfred raised an eyebrow.

Nightwing nodded. "Yeah, and you help out Bruce a lot. You help us with communications, and we call you Agent A if we have to talk to you on calms."

"Agent A." Alfred sounded amused. "Now what shall we call you, Master Nightwing?"

Bruce said, "Dick's your nephew visiting from England."

"Pardon, Master Batman?" Alfred said. Dick studied Alfred as Bruce explained. On the way over, he told Batman his first name and nickname. He was cautious that if he told Bruce his last name, it would screw things up here.

This Alfred hair's was still black, just starting to look like it was greying. And he had the same mustache and hair. He looked like Alfred from when Dick first came to the Manor. Alfred was thirty-eight when Dick first came to the Manor, and Bruce was twenty-six. Sure enough, when Bruce took off the Batman cowl he looked like the twenty-six year old Bruce.

Now, the Alfred Dick knew was forty-seven, and Bruce was thirty-six. Alfred's hair was greyer, and there were more lines in his face. Bruce's face had more lines and seemed darker. Here, even though this Batman was dark, he never had to deal with the death of Jason and the fights with Dick, and his faced seemed lighter. More youthful.

"It's short for Richard." Dick explained. "Oh, and I know Bruce Wayne is Batman."

"Very well, Master Richard. I shall go get some clothes for you." Alfred nodded, then left.

Bruce looked at Dick. Dick was shorter than Bruce. Since Bruce left the Manor when he was fifteen (he finished high school early, and 'studied abroad' for college) he would likely have to lend Dick some clothes. Somehow, though, Dick didn't seem so small. He had an energy about him that attracted attention.

"He's not seriously gonna . . . ?" Dick shook his head. "Never mind, he's Alfred, of course he'd do it."

Silence stretched between them as Bruce went to change out of his uniform. Dick's thoughts wandered to Barbara and the look on her face before the explosion. He missed having someone to talk to. They could talk back and forth for hours about ridiculous things. Even when she was mad at him, he wanted to see her. He was starting to think maybe they could be something more when life decided to come in.

Friend's dying. The Invasion. The plan. Her face when she found out . . . She looked so hurt. By him. Dick hoped he could fix things between them. And he was sure that she maybe liked him, with how she acted sometimes. Dick didn't know, women were one of life's great mysteries. Part of him felt guilty that he was only thinking about Barbara when he should be thinking about the others, too. About how to fix things with them, not just Barbara.

Brue came back, done from changing. They decided to pass the time waiting for Alfred with Dick telling stories about his days at the manor, before Jason and the rest came. Back when it was just Bruce, Dick, and Alfred. Barbara was a part of it, but he didn't meet her until a little after he became Robin, when he was ten.

* * *

"Why are they taking so long?" Wally groaned.

Red Arrow and Flash were waiting at the teleportation platforms for Nightwing and Batman. Roy was beyond bored, and his thoughts were drifting to Lian and Jade. He hoped they were doing fine. Of course, Jade would skewer him if she found out he doubted she could handle herself and Lian. His lips twitched, and he had to hide a smile. Wally was restless, and his thoughts kept drifting to Artemis. She'd probably kill him if he ever went back. Wally was tempted to, but he didn't know if it would work. He didn't want to get his hopes up, only for them to be extinguished.

Roy waved his hand. "They probably had a talk and Batman went all Daddy!Bats on Dick when he told him how the Bats we know adopted him. Give 'em a break."

"Still, I wish they'd hurry up. I'm starting to think they ditched us and went to the Batcave." Wally pouted and crossed his arms.

"Yeah, well, I'm only going to wait one more minute for them and then I'm going back to the holding cell to sleep. I'm freakin' tired." Roy stated.

"Wait for who?"

Roy and Wally jumped, turning around. Green Lantern had just beamed in, followed by Superman and Martian Manhunter. Roy (and Wally, even though he's gotten sort of used to it) were missing the way the zeta beams always announced when someone arrived. It made it much harder for someone to sneak up on you.

Superman looked concerned. "Where is Batman?"

"And where is Nightwing?" Martian Manhunter added. All of them were tense and ready to shift into a fighting stance.

"Um . . . " Flash said nervously.

"Shit." Roy summed up their situation in one word.

An awkward and tense silence followed. Roy was staring to get annoyed, and he really was tired. The League here could fight them and lock 'em up tomorrow.

"Where are Batman and Nightwing?" Green Lantern repeated. He looked at Flash. Flash had to think of something, fast. His brain came up with a completely stupid and idiotic idea, as usual, to get away.

"I'm tired, and I'm going to go sleep. How about you ask them tomorrow?" Flash didn't wait for a reply."Thanks, and good night." .

Flash grabbed Roy by the arm and super speeded them out of their. After he dropped Roy off at his own room, Flash darted off to his own room. The Justice League shared a look. Something was up. The question was, what the hell was up?

* * *

**. . . I don't want to die. Please don't kill me? At least I didn't wait six months before updating. I'm trying to update faster, but now I have to juggle schoolwork. Joy. You know, I would probably like school a whole lot if it wasn't for all the homework and projects. Oh well, it's just something I'll have to deal with. **

**Thank to everyone so much for all the reviews, favorites, and follows. You are amazing encouragement to update faster. I hope you liked the interaction between Dick and Bruce. It's a father-son relationship I'm trying to express, so sorry if I failed there. I tried my best for the fighting scene. **

**I wasn't kidding when I said there would be slight Dibs, Spitfire, and CheshRoy. In Dead and Gone there will be more. I'm going to try to post the first chapter of it this weekend, maybe the next. I have to read over it. **

**Anyways, there's my usual review policy, don't be a Negative Nancy, give reviews that'll make the story better and not rant how much you hate it. If you don't like it, give me a tip or something you want to see included in here. I'll see if I can work it in. NO PROMISES!**

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REIVEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! It won't take too long! REVIEW! REIVEW! REIVEW!**


	7. Arguing Archers, Bonding Bats, & Food

**I figured I'd better update before you people bust out the pitchforks and torches and demand I update.**

**On with the story!**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. **

**With the Arrows . . . Or rather, Santa's Elves:**

"Dammit!" Roy cursed as he felt an electric current go up through his arm yet again. Thankfully, it was only a minor shock, not enough to hurt, but enough to make him jump in surprise.

"Language." A familiar voice-but at the same time not familiar-scolded.

Roy turned around to face the owner, wiping his hands on his jeans. He wore a red shirt, jeans, and sneakers. He didn't have his mask on, instead opting for sunglasses. In front of him, Green Arrow stood, watching as he attempted to understand the blasted machine they had named Chance.

Roy scowled. "What do you want?"

"To talk." Green Arrow replied.

Roy was surprised. After the whole Gotham incident, the League had become even more wary of them. At the same time, they began to get a grudging respect for each other, even if they didn't like one another.

Batman and Nightwing managed to convince the League to back off, and to let Nightwing stay and help Batman with Gotham. Personally, Roy thinks the League only agreed to it because they were disturbed to have a protégé of Batman in the Watchtower, knowing only some of what Batman is capable of. That was a week ago.

Dick has stopped in occasionally to work on it, but mainly he's adjusting to this Batman and this Gotham. Roy can't help but feel a little angry. This wasn't their home. Wally had been busy with Central and League missions, so mostly it was just Roy working on the machine.

Which made Roy angry at Wally. It looked like Wally had built a life here, and Dick was building one. Roy felt left out. What about their world, their homes? The Team and the League? Roy pushed these thoughts away.

"Why?" Roy asked.

Green Arrow shifted awkwardly. "Well, see, I think, we may have, um, gotten off on the wrong foot . . ."

"Refusing to acknowledge your partner from another dimension tends to do that." Roy snapped. It was true. Green Arrow really hadn't done anything to show that he knew Roy existed.

Green Arrow surveyed the angry young man in front of him. He decided to change the subject. "So . . . what are you working on?"

Internally, Roy rolled his eyes. Subtle, real subtle. Green Arrow might as well announce that he's changing the subject.

Roy answered him. "Me? Nothing, really. Just trying to understand this stupid machine."

"From what I understand, that 'stupid machine' is supposed to help you get home." Green Arrow said immediately, not thinking about what he was saying. Internally, he cursed himself.

Roy grumbled. The machine was not helpful at all, it was more of an annoying problem. He still thought it should've been named after the crazy Roman emperor.

"Yeah, well, tell that to the number of times this thing has shocked me." Roy muttered. "I swear, this thing has an attitude. It is not helpful _at all_."

"Maybe _it _got its attitude from one of its creators." Green Arrow shot back, his tone suggesting that the 'creator' was Roy.

Roy shot him a glare. "Or maybe_ it_ doesn't want to be bothered by _certain_ _people_ and would _love_ to shock the living daylights out of them."

"Maybe _it_ would love to go on patrol with me in Star City." Green Arrow snapped. Then he froze. So did Roy. Ollie's not sure who's more surprised, Roy or him.

Roy's mouth dropped, and he was staring at him in surprise. "Are you serious?"

Green Arrow started to panic. "You don't have to come if you don't want to, in fact, I don't know where that came from-"

Roy interrupted him. "I'll come." Roy hastily said, "But only because I've been losing my mind being cooped up in here."

Green Arrow grinned. Looks like they might be able to get along after all.

''''''

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No. "

"Yes."

"No."

"No."

"Yes."

"HA!"

" #$%&amp;?/$!"

Some very colorful curse words were exclaimed by Red Arrow.

Dinah Lance, A.K.A Black Canary watched the scene in front of her with slight amusement. Green Arrow and Red Arrow as the kid called himself were arguing on a rooftop. They were arguing on how to get in and take down the thieves.

In an incredibly immature way. Seriously, they sounded like two-year-olds. Dinah didn't know whether to laugh at them or yell at them. Part of her wanted to and take a picture, this moment was so ridiculous. She had been out on the rooftops of Star City when she found Red Arrow and Green Arrow.

Apparently, they decided they could try to get along like Nightwing and Batman. That made this situation all the more hilarious. Scratch taking a picture, she should film this it put it up on the League's daily announcements board.

Roy was wearing some of Green Arrow's gear mixed with his own. He reminded her of an elf with all the red and green. She decided not to mention that since most likely Red Arrow would not be please at being called an elf. Green Arrow looked like his twin elf, except with more green and blonde hair.

Dinah herself was wearing her Black Canary gear and Ollie (he had told her his name) was wearing his Green Arrow gear. She wasn't quite sure what she felt about him. One minute she thought one thing, the next, she thought another.

She knew he was trouble, at least. But when they were in the same city it was impossible not to run into each other. Sometimes literally. Dinah internally groaned as they started arguing on how to take the thieves down now. She walked to the edge of the roof, right between Red and Green Arrow.

"Hey! Christmas elves!" They stared at her, offended. So much for not mentioning the 'elf' thing. "Are you coming or what?"

She didn't wait for a reply before she jumped off the roof. The boys scrambled to catch up. _

**With Batman and Nightwing:**

"C'mon! Please, please, please, please, _please, PLEASE_!"

The great almighty Batman, Bruce Wayne, pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. The boy would just not stop. Didn't he have an off button somewhere? Alfred watched with an amused expression on his face off to the side. Bruce swore the man was smirking.

Dick was standing in front of Bruce, dressed in his Nightwing costume. Bruce was sitting in his chair in front of his computer. Or, as Dick had called the, his Bat-chair and the Bat-computer. He then proceeded to give just about everything in the Batcave (as Dick had renamed it) a new name with bat- at the beginning.

Why, oh why did he think this was a good idea? Bruce internally questioned himself. It wasn't like Dick was a little kid, he knew how to take care of himself. He was nineteen years old, but apparently Dick was a five year old at heart. No, not a five year old, a two year old, Bruce corrects himself as he watches Dick bounce up and down.

Bruce was considering the pros and cons of running upstairs and hiding in his study. Alfred gave him a stern look. Damn. Bruce forgot that Alfred was standing in the stairwell. Dick, well, Nightwing kept begging him to go out on patrol with him.

"Please! I promise I won't run away or cause too much damage! PLEASE!" Dick begged, pleading with puppy dog eyes.

It was official. Nightwing sounded like a little kid. Bruce was now seriously regretting fixing Dick's costume. Actually, the old one was so badly damaged that he just ended up making a new suit. The new suit looked the same as the old one, but better, as it wasn't torn to bits and blood covered.

He just got his new suit yesterday, and after getting it, Dick started begging Bruce to go out on patrol together. Bruce had stated multiple times that just because Dick lived with Bruce did not mean they would be partners. Dick flinched at that, which made Bruce feel guilty.

After all, Dick was his 'son-from-another-dimension'. And obviously hurting about something that he didn't trust Bruce enough to tell him about. That made Bruce determined to get Dick's trust so he would tell Bruce. Bruce was little confused as to why he felt that. Privately, he thought it was because he didn't want to let the boy down. Not that he would ever say that out loud.

Plus, Bruce was maybe a bit prideful (fine, he was very prideful . . . shh, don't tell anyone). If the other Bruce could manage to have Nightwing as a partner, then he could, too. Hopefully. Bruce knew this was going to seriously test his patience. He did not want to share his city with a person who was basically a stranger, son or not.

So far, Nightwing-Dick-has been staying at Wayne Manor for a week. Dick instantly clicked with Alfred, which made Bruce kind of jealous. He knew his 'son' for longer than Alfred yet for some reason the butler (More than that, really-Alfred is family) got along with Dick better.

Dick and Bruce on the other hand got off to a slightly rocky start. On some things, they could agree, and got along just fine. On others, they ended up screaming at each other in multiple languages, pulling out their hair. Needless to say, they were still working on 'bonding'.

Dick was trying to fix that. He filled the silence with stories of his younger days in the circus with his family. Bruce had to admire Dick for that. His own memories of his parents were painful and precious. He never talked about them with anyone, not even Alfred.

Everything was just . . . complicated. Bruce was still dealing with the fact that he had a _son. _Who was his partner, and has been for a while. According to Flash (Wally) he had other partners. What had Wally called them?_ Protégé_s, Bruce remembered.

Trainees. Kid heroes. Partners. But never sidekicks. Apparently, that was a touchy subject and there was a major distinct difference between 'sidekick' and 'protégé'. Bruce was completely and hopelessly confused on that, not that he'd ever admit it.

Again, that is. He might've asked Dick about it during the week and Dick may or may not have gone into a passionate speech (rant) about the differences between a sidekick and protégé. So yes, Bruce learned it was a touchy subject. Even if Dick was an 'ex' protégé.

Dick was still begging him. To be honest, between his headache and exasperation, he had kind of gotten lost in his thoughts.

Bruce groaned. "Fine! Yes! We can go on patrol together!"

Looking at Dick, Bruce got a feeling of dread and immediately regretted those words. Dick looked like a little kid on Christmas. Again, Bruce resisted the urge to run away. That would not be very Batman-like. And Alfred was blocking the doorway, still.

Dick was positively beaming with excitement and happiness, and okay, that may have made saying 'yes' worth it. "Yes! Let's go! To the Batmobile!"

Alfred stifled a laugh. Bruce's head thunked down on the computer's table.

"We can have so-o-o-o much fun and bonding time!" Dick added. Dick knew he was being a little evil, but he wanted to see this Bruce's reaction at his words.

The mortified face Bruce made was his answer. For one of the few times in his life, Bruce Wayne was completely speechless. ". . ."

Alfred didn't ever bother hiding his laugh this time.

**With Flash:**

Wally closed the door to his apartment, putting his keys on his table. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. It had been a long day. Every inch of him hurt. Hurt as in every step felt like 'ow-ow-ow-ow-ow'.

He groaned as he face-planted into his couch. A thud was heard. Wally shut his eyes, attempting to block everything out. The noise of Central City's traffic commute fading into the background as Wally tried to deal with the pounding headache he got from being slammed into a brick wall.

It was days like these that he missed Barry more. Sure, being the Flash was fun, but it also sucked. When he was Kid Flash, Wally reflected, his Uncle Barry was always there to fix any mistakes he made. Always there to help him when Wally needed Barry.

Now, Wally needed Barry more than ever, but Barry wasn't here. For Wally, he hasn't been here for eight years. For Barry and the others, Wally has been gone for four months. At that thought, a pang went through Wally's heart. They didn't know he was alive.

None of them knew, until Dick and Roy came. Even then, with Dick and Roy here, they couldn't contact the others. With the way Roy and Dick had gotten here, it meant they thought Roy and Dick were dead, too. Wally was worried about the toll it was taking on his uncle.

He knew it couldn't be good. Wally knew that Barry was probably still hurting from his 'death'. Wally had gotten close to his uncle, especially after his own father had the drinking problems. When Wally was eleven, his father lost his job and they spiraled into debt.

His father started to drink, and he was an angry drunk. Rudolph West never hurt his mom or Wally, but he was reckless. And he scared Wally. It got bad enough that Wally's mom gave custody of Wally to his aunt and uncle. Wally would not be allowed to go back to his parents until his father got his act together.

Rudolph West quit drinking, went through rehab, got a good job, paid off his debt, and Wally's parents got partial custody of Wally when he was nearly fifteen. From there, Wally started to rotate. He would spend time at both houses. Both places became home.

Wallly always made sure to be at his parents on his birthday. Wally didn't blame his father for what he did, but he wishes his father handled everything better. Part of him knew that some people can't handle some things so they do it in the only way they know how. Wally had seen enough evidence of that as a superhero.

Part of Wally wanted to blame his father. He just couldn't bring himself to do it. Rudolph West was his father, and even in his worst moments, Wally still loved his father. Sometimes he hates that he still loves his father. He feels like he should. Other people who know about his Dad's problems always gave him questioning looks.

The simple truth of it was that Rudolph West was his Dad. And it's possible for a kid to love the worst parent in the world, simply because they're their parent. Besides, Wally's father cleaned up his act. As far as parents go, he could have done a whole lot worse.

And being a hero had taught him that life was short, that it was precious. That a split second could determine whether or not you lived or died, or whether or not someone else survived. For a while, Wally was afraid of how short life was.

After the death of Tula, Wally quit being a hero and Artemis came with him. As a civilian, he had the luxury to see things from a distance. To act like he had all the time in the world to do everything. After coming here, becoming Flash . . . Wally felt guilt. He shouldn't have done those things, left the way he did.

He knew what it was like to be a hero, after all. When had he forgotten that? When did he forget what drove him to become Kid Flash? Wally didn't know, he just knew that he found it again when he came here.

Life was short too short to hold grudges. Grudges are the cause of fights, grudges break apart families. Grudges destroy friendships. Wally felt like an ass for acting the way he did after he quit being a hero, especially during the invasion.

Then he was gone, and ended up here. Wally didn't even get the chance to say sorry. He tried, he _tried _to find a way to get back but he couldn't do it. Wally couldn't figure out how. Then Roy and Dick come along, and now it seems like there is a way to get back.

And Wally built a life here. He has friends here. Every back where he came from is his family, but the Justice League here are his family too. Wally bit his lip. There wasn't any point in worrying about this. _Chance _wouldn't be completed for months.

There was still time. _Time for what?_ A little voice nagged in the back of his head. It sounded suspiciously like Artemis. Great, she was his conscience. He was doomed. Wally sent a mental apology to Martian Manhunter if his Oreos ended up missing.

Artemis would kill him if she found this out. She'd say something along the lines of how she's more responsible than him and always makes the 'grown-up' choices as Wally calls them. It is not his fault paperwork is boring and useless crap. Besides, he's a speedster.

Sitting still and writing for a few hours? Ah, no. Have fun getting Roy in a tutu and singing 'Let It Go' from '_Frozen'_. Wally personally thinks there's a better chance of that happening them him dealing with paperwork.

Wally can't help but smirk at the image of Roy in a fluffy pink tutu singing and dancing.

He sighed and groaned. He needed to clear his head. He was thinking too much, and that was a dangerous thing. Wally dragged himself up off his couch and looked around his apartment. It had yellow walls. His apartment wasn't that big, only having a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. The floors were wood.

Wally was aware of the small things he did to make it like home (The place he shared with Artemis in Palo Alto, his Aunt and Uncle's house, his parent's house, the Cave, the Watchtower). For one, he had a coffee maker. Wally could not drink coffee, because caffeine or sugar of any kind made him too hyper.

But the smell of coffee reminded him of the coffee Artemis had in the morning, the coffee his mom drank, the coffee his aunt drank. The smell of coffee in the Cave at random hours when a Team member brewed some coffee. The smell of coffee in the cafeteria at the Watchtower from heroes working late hours and early hours.

It reminded him of home. There was the yellow color of the walls, too. Sunlight filtered in through the windows. The food he bought always included some things that he didn't even like but still got. Why? Because he used to be the one to get the groceries sometimes.

(Of course, most of the time when he was sent out to get groceries only about half made it back)

And he had to get what everyone liked, and seeing the food they liked was a small reminder of them. Wally sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. Sometimes he hated his life. Wally walked over to his kitchen and started to brew a cup of coffee.

Alone, thoughts that he'd been having for weeks were invading his head. Then a knock came at the door. Well, so much for being alone. Curious, Wally went to the door and opened it. He wasn't expecting any visitors unless Dick dropped by (he doubted it) or Roy came by (ha, yeah right).

Wally's mouth fell open a little in surprise. "Su-I mean, Clark?"

The Kryptonian smiled. "Hello, Wally. Thought I'd fly by."

Clark Kent stood in his doorway, chuckling at the inside joke.

Wally just nodded and said awkwardly, "Uh, yeah, c'mon in, I guess."

Clark frowned at him worriedly. He walked in and sat on the couch. "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing." Wally shook his head dismissively. "Why'd ya come here, Big Blue?"

Clark looked a little sheepish. "Well, you've seemed a little off lately, and I've just been worried about you so I decided to stop by."

"Jeez, man, I'm not about to jump off a building and you'll need to save me." Wally joked.

Clark looked a little offended. "Louis doesn't do that intentionally!"

"Sure . . ." Wally said doubtfully. "A guy like you and a chick like her? Nope, nothing there at all."

It was worth it to have Superman glaring at him since the glare was ruined by a faint blush on Superman's face.

"Anyway," Clark said hastily, desperate to have this conversation away from his love life. "What's wrong?"

The question directed at Wally was said with a dead serious expression and the _'don't-you-dare-try-and-get-out-of-this-one'_. Wally gulped. What was bothering him? Well, that was a no brainer. But he couldn't exactly say to Superman (Clark Kent right now),

_"__Um, yeah, see, just about everything I've told you in my life is a lie. I'm actually from a team called Young Justice (The Team as its commonly called) which is like a group of sidekicks- _

_DON'T CALL US SIDEKICKS! Roy's voice yelled. _

Roy? What the heck? Wally ignored that and continued his mental explanation. That cheery girly/hysterical voice was back and he wanted it gone.

_"__Anyways, now that we've got that cleared up, I got sent here by accident after I ran too fast to save the world from being blown up by the baddies. I promise I'm not evil, and I wasn't lying, I just . . . Forgot to mention the whole 'me-being-from-another-dimension part on my' resume."_

That would go over so well. Wally would be speedster road kill. So opted for a different tactic, one that wouldn't involve a painful game of Catch-the-Speedster.

"Fine, it's, uh . . ." Wally made a face as he struggled to find the right words. "Can we go out to eat and talk?"

Clark smiled and nodded. "Sure."

'''''''

Wally and Clark ate in silence while sitting in a booth at Wally's favorite diner. Clark was eating bacon and eggs with a glass of orange juice. One of the many reasons this was Wally's favorite diner was because it had a 24 hour breakfast service.

The diner itself was styled like something in the fifties and it was pretty worn down. The booths were red and clearly well used. The table was just a black countertop attached to the floor. They were sitting at a window seat, Wally on the left and Clark on the right.

The usual condiments like Ketchup and mustard along with napkins were pressed up against the window. Menus were tucked a little pin clip whatever thing that stuck straight up. Wally never bothered to learn what they were called.

Finally, Clark cleared his throat and put his napkin on his table. Wallly looked up from where he'd been using his syrup as water, his pancakes as land, and his bacon as battleships. Wally hadn't eaten much, just pushed it around.

That worried Clark. Wally was always hungry. "So what do you want to talk about, Wally?"

Wally shrugged. "I . . . I don't really know. I guess I just needed a friend." Wally faced twisted into a mixture of confusion, helplessness, and frustration. He didn't know what to say.

Finally, Wally asked Clark, "Do you miss Krypton?"

The question took Clark by surprised. "Well . . . that's a hard question to answer, Wally-"

"No, no, no." Wally shook his head, agitated. "That's not what-gah!"

He let out a frustrated sigh.

Clark looked at Wally in concern. Wally rarely got, and only for a good reason. Or a stupid one.

Clark asked slowly, "What did you mean?"

Wally let out a sigh of defeat and mumbled, "What I meant to say was that if you had grown up on Krypton then came here would you miss it?"

Clark tilted his head to the side. "That's a pretty interesting question, Wally. Why do you want to know?"

Wally was lost for words. Clark looked at him in curiosity. Why did Wally ask this question?

The speedster met his gaze pleadingly. "What would you do?

Clark sensed there was something behind this question and that his answer would be important. He also saw a look in Wally's eyes that told him not to push it.

Clark choose his next words carefully, "I would trust myself to make whatever choice I knew in my heart to be right."

"But how do you know which one is the right one?" Wally asked.

Clark just smiled. "Well, I'll just have to have a little faith."

Wally tried a different tactic. "Well . . . What if you grew up on Krypton but then you got sent here accidently, and then you find out you can go back? Almost as if you got sent here with memories of Krypton but you couldn't get back to Krypton."

Clark gave Wally a blank look until what he said made sense in his mind.

Clark frowned. "Well, it depends on . . . everything. The circumstances of how I got sent out, my relationship with my family, my life here . . . There's no right or wrong answer, Wally."

Wally just gave him a look. "But if you really had to . . ."

Clark rolled his eyes smiling fondly. "I'd trust my heart and my instincts. I'd go to where my family is. If both sides are my family . . . Then I don't know what I'd do. I have to trust that whatever side I choose, the other will understand. Why the strange questions Wally?"

"Oh, I was just wondering if, um, what would happen if Roy and Nightwing wanted to stay and the things they'd have to consider." It was a lame excuse and they both knew it.

Clark gave him a skeptical look. "You were?"

"Don't look at me like that! I was! I do have a brain, ya know." Wally protested.

Clark put up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Fine, fine, I believe you."

Eh, only because Wally had that look again, the one that warned Clark that he should stop asking questions before he found answers he really didn't want to know.

Wally told Clark as they both got up, "Thanks for the talk."

_It helped more than you know, and it also just made things more confusing. Why do you have to say things that make sense but are no absolute help since I already know them? Curse you, you giant blue smurf. _Wally mentally added.

As they walked up to the register, Clark gave him a reassuring smile. "No problem, Wally. Anytime you need to talk, I'm there. That's what a friends for, right?"

Clark didn't wait for a response before he paid for their food, despite Wally's protest, which included a five minute argument, Clark chasing him at normal speed to get his wallet back, and the waitress intervening and snatching Clark's wallet, effectively ending the 'Who's going to pay' argument.

"Well, good night, Wally!" Clark called as he left out the door.

That little chat left Wally with more questions answers. But at least he got something out of it.

**Don't kill me? I come in peace? I was under attack by plot bunnies and the horrible sickness known as writers block, along with the creativity killing schoolwork, including projects, essays, and midterms. **

**Review if you want to, let me know what you guys think.**** Constructive**** criticism is always appreciated. I'm sorry this is a little late. It was mainly 'cause of the reasons above. Other updates will hopefully not be as long a wait as this one, but since I seem to jinx myself with updates, I'm not setting myself a specific date. **

**REVIE-Nah, I'm not gonna do it. Review if you want, I wanna hear your reactions.**


	8. Revelations and Conversations

**Excuses are like feet. We all got them and they (usually) stink. And, if you celebrate it, merry Christmas! (I know it's early). Here's your present. **

**On with the story! **

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.**

* * *

_"IT'S FRIDAY, FRIDAY, GOTTA GET DOWN ON FRIDAY, EVERYBODY'S LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WEEKEND!"_

"SHUT THAT THING OFF, WEST!" Roy Harper shouted, his hands clamped over his ears. "OR I SWEAR THAT I'll SKIN YOUR SCRAWNY SPEEDSTER ASS ALIVE!"

Wally, who was attempting to clamp his hands over his own ears while fiddling with the knobs of the machine, fearfully yelled back, "I'M TRYING! AND STOP CURSING! ACT LIKE A MATURE ADULT, FOR ONCE!"

Angrily, Roy shouted, "OH, LIKE YOU'RE ONE TO TALK!"

And with that, the two started bickering, with Roy alternating between cursing Wally out and telling Wally to shut the machine off. Occasionally he did both at the same time. Roy was a good multitasker, especially when it came to creative ways to curse people out.

Dick, who had been crouching under one of the tables littered with parts, got fed up. Standing up, he grabbed a wrench off the table and slammed it onto the thing that was blaring loud, obnoxious music. The trio sighed in relief as the song shut off.

Roy pinched the bridge of his nose, before glaring at the tiny black box that was set to be the 'brain' of the machine to transport them home.

"Can someone please tell me," Roy asked, "How the hell we managed to get a radio signal up here? In. Space."

There was a moment of silence.

"Well," Wally said awkwardly, "Look at the bright side: we managed to get a radio signal up here. Granted, it's not what we were going for, but . . ."

Wally's voice failed at the look Roy was giving him. Dick snickered, but then stopped when Roy's death glare turned to him.

Roy sighed in frustration. "Now we have to start all over again."

"Hey, relax, dude." Wally tried to comfort him. "We'll get there, eventually."

"We're just taking the scenic route," Dick muttered. Wally shot him a look, as if to say, _not helping. _

Dick shrugged.

"Wally's right." He paused for a second. "Wow. Never thought I'd say that." Wally stuck his tongue out at Dick, who ignored him, "We'll figure it out."

Roy just shook his head, rubbing his eyes. He yawned, and said, "Thanks, guys, really. I appreciate that you're trying to cheer me up, but can we please just talk about anything else for a while?"

Dick and Wally looked at each other and silently came to a decision. They nodded, and Roy back up a few steps until he was against the wall. He sunk to the floor, and Wally and Dick sat beside him. Their presence alongside him was comforting.

Roy, Dick, and Wally were currently in the Watchtower in the room they were using to construct _Chance. _So fair, building the machine was going nowhere. However, Dick's roller-coaster-up-and-down relationship with Batman was turning into an uneasy truce.

Maybe Dick didn't really have an uneasy relationship with Batman, maybe Dick just made it difficult due to his changing emotions, but there was likely some fault on this Batman's side. Although Dick really needed to get a grip sometimes. Roy shook his head fondly as he thought of all the times Dick had gotten a little too emotional, or his emotions had made him seem bi-polar.

Those passionate lectures about Star Wars had been hilarious. They made great black mail material, too. Roy particularly liked the ones where Dick had acted out scenes from the movies to prove his point.

His own relationship with this Ollie was going . . . decently. They had their problems, but they were working on working them out.

In their own special way, of course.

All three of them were dressed in civvie clothes with minor abnormalities. Roy wore a blue t-shit with dark jeans, and combat boots. He wore his mask. Dick wore his own mask as well, but he had on a green t-shirt, along with blue jeans, and sneakers.

Wally just had on a red t-shirt with the Flash symbol, jeans, and sneakers. The room they were in looked almost the same, with the exception of some new parts and a stack of paper on one of the three tables in the room. Set up along the back wall directly across from the door was a tripod with multiple wires connected to it, and machine parts about four feet away around it in a semi-circle.

On top of the tripod normally went a black metal box with wires connected to it. They took it off to work on it, but had obviously been unsuccessful, as shown by the music incident.

(He would have that song stuck in his head for at least week. The horror!)

The guts of _Chance_ were basically nonexistent, as they had to take it apart and put it together many times. The most they had was a lens attached to a cut out circle on the black box. The lens faced the wall, and the machine almost looked like an old projector that had been put through a heavy duty paper shredder.

It was about the most they had accomplished in the physical aspect of building the machine. Dick and Wally had both gotten a lot of work done with the science and calculations, but they had barely made a dent in what needed to be done. It just kind of felt overwhelming. Roy could feel the enthusiasm to finish _Chance _lessen as more days went by. He could feel everyone's hope just disappearing.

He wondered how much Lian had grown now. She was growing up really fast. Thinking of Lian made Roy think of Jade, and the thought of those two made him crack a small smile. He couldn't lose hope. He had to get back to those two, if only so Jade can chew him out for leaving her, and Dinah can yell at him.

And okay, maybe, maybe he wanted his Ollie back. Roy couldn't believe it, but this Ollie was kind of more annoying than Roy's Ollie . . .

Fifteen days. Fifteen days is how long they'd have to go without him, thinking he's dead in the best case scenario. The problem was Roy doesn't know if he can make it a year without them, and a year with Dick and Wally. He loved the two to death, but they could be quite rambunctious, despite being grown adults.

Barely, in his humble opinion.

Dick started the conversation. "So . . . Roy, how's everything going Green Arrow?"

The question didn't entirely surprise him. It wasn't like they had much to talk about in this world. Still, it sparked his anger.

Roy snorted. "More like Green Assh – "

At the look he got from Dick and Wally, Roy stopped. Dam, they got their Mom looks perfected. Why is it that Mom looks always seem to stop anyone?

Heck, Roy's pretty sure if someone gave Lex Luther the Mom look he'd feel guilty.

"Roy," Wally said, "He can't be that bad. You just have to give him a chance."

Roy exploded, "A chance? I have! He's ten times worse than GA, way more immature, insufferably overbearing, constantly doubts my abilities – "

"In other words," Dick stated, "It's like you're a newbie at the hero biz."

"It can't be that bad," Wally started to say, but then stopped as he thought about Green Arrow here. He grimaced. "Never mind, it's probably worse."

Roy shrugged. "At least we agree sometimes, but we've had some, ah, disagreements. Canary usually breaks it up." He made a face. "She's become our designated babysitter. How 'bout you and Bats, bird brain?"

Dick shrugged. "It's . . . okay, I guess. This Batman here's a little – different. Still, it's nice working with Br-Batman again, even if it's not exactly him, but we've had some disagreements." Dick cracked a smile. "He either hates me, or respects me. He's always curious. Apparently I can be annoying and immature."

Not that Dick's trying to do be annoying on purpose. Okay, fine, he's trying to be annoying on purpose. Really, it's part of his science experiment, one that was titled: 'Stretch the Limits of Batman's Patience in Order to Make Him More Patient'. The logic behind it was simple, really. The title explained all.

Besides, humor was kind of a default thing for him. He was a naturally optimistic person. Brooding was Bruce's thing.

"No, really?" Wally said sarcastically. "I never noticed. You, immature? Preposterous!"

Dick elbowed Wally lightly, which was awkward with Roy in the middle. "Shut up."

Roy rolled his eyes. "You're _both_ annoying, and immature."

Dick snickered at Wally's fake look of hurt. Roy mumbled something about over dramatic people.

"Ow!" Roy cursed, his hands going to his ribs. Wally and Dick had elbowed him at the same time.

Note to self: if insulting two people at once, don't insult them while sitting in between them.

Glaring at Wally, Roy asked, "So how are things going with you? Have you told them?"

There was no need for Wally or Dick to ask who needed to be told what.

A brief flash of guilt went across Wally's face, answering Roy's question.

"Seriously, dude?" Dick asked. "Why?"

Roy dragged a hand across his face. "Wally, the longer you don't tell them, the more it'll hurt when you do come clean."

"I know, I know," Wally sighing in frustration, "But how do you find the words to tell people something like that?"

Dick's expression darkened, recalling how hard it had been to tell everyone about the plan. "There are no right words when admitting a lie, but the right action to take is to just come clean about it, and tell them everything."

"If it helps," Roy added, "We'll be there when you tell everyone."

Dick nodded, eagerly agreeing with Roy.

He tried to reassure Wally, "I'm here for you, man. After all," Dick smirked, "What's a best pal for?"

Wally rolled his eyes. Sarcastically, he answered, "Uh, questioning your objectivity?"

Dick glowered at him. "You know what I meant."

"Yeah, yeah," Wally waved his hand in a careless motion.

Dick stuck his tongue out at Wally, who glared at Dick. Dick glared back. That was when Roy, who had been watching the exchange between the two in bafflement, decided to intervene. He slapped the back of their heads, and they broke their glaring contest, much to Roy's relief, since he had been in the middle of them.

"All right, you two," Roy said, "Knock it off."

"Fine." They both grumbled, crossing their arms.

Roy found that a bit creepy. He looked at them weirdly, then stood up and stretched.

Yawning, he said, "I think I'm going to go h – back to my place. You two ready to call it a night?"

Dick nodded, standing up, and arching his back.

"I want to patrol some with Bats before this night is completely over," Dick said. "I'm ready to go."

The two of them looked at Wally, who shrugged.

"Sure," Wally said, "I'm tired anyways."

In truth, Wally was a bit reluctant to leave. He loved challenges, and he didn't want to give up on the machine when he was so close. Plus, he really didn't want to have free time to think. Not only did it interfere with being nuts, there were just some things he didn't want to deal with right now.

The three of them began to pack up their tools (read: put them in a pile on a designated spot on their table). Dick broke the silence.

"Hey," Dick said, "Do you guys want to meet up early tomorrow? We can grab breakfast in the cafeteria and take it back here."

Wally shrugged. "Sure, I guess. See you tomorrow."

On his way out, Dick shot Roy a look, before glancing back at Wally and walking out the door. Roy sighed. He knew exactly what Dick had in mind. Dick wanted his help to convince Wally to confess. Wally would undoubtedly be pissed at being cornered like this, but there comes a time when you must choose.

Wally needed to make a choice. He was at the edge of a cliff now. Dick and Roy needed to push him off the cliff and convince him the make the right choice. Sadly, the right choice isn't always the easy one. Pissing off Wally . . . was not something Roy had any idea. He almost wished he could pretend he didn't understand, but that wasn't the case.

A side effect of knowing Dick for so many years: sometimes he knew exactly what he meant.

Maybe he should be worried about that . . .

"Fine," Roy sighed again, speaking to an empty room.

Those two were going to be the death of him. If Dick's antics didn't get him, Wally's anger would. Who knows? Maybe a combination of the two will finish him off. It was possible. After everything he had been through during his superhero days, Roy had learned anything was possible.

* * *

Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and Martian Manhunter all sat respectively at their spots around semi-circle shaped meeting table for the original seven. Superman looked around impatiently. Wonder Women sat back in her chair with an annoyed expression.

Hawkgirl was completely and utterly bored. She sat at the end of the table, and she was swinging her mace around in a circle by the leather strap. Martian Manhunter appeared to be meditating, but Superman suspected he was sleeping. Green Lantern looked ready to leave.

All of the continually shot glances at the chair on the other end of the table.

John broke the silence. "Anyone know why hot shot called us here?"

Shayera shrugged, still swinging her mace. "No, but it's just like him to call a meeting and show up late."

"I'm sure he has his reasons," Batman said in his usual monotone.

On cue, Flash burst through the door slamming it shut behind him.

"I'msosorryamIlateohmygoshpleasedon'tkillme," Wally immediately rambled in speed talk.

Martian Manhunter opened his eyes in annoyance. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Wally," Batman said, "Shut up."

He immediately closed his mouth. Wally took a deep breath. He pulled his cowl down, revealing his flattened red hair and bright green eyes. He made no move to sit down. Instead, he fidgeted nervously with his ends, reaching up to brush his hair in an attempt to make it neater.

Wally avoided making eye contact with them. He tried to find the courage to say the words, but they died in his throat and Wally shut his mouth.

Superman looked at him in surprise. "Fla – Wally, are you all right?"

He tried to smile. "Um, not really. I have something to tell you guys."

Wally felt sick to his stomach. Fear ran through him, and it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Go on," Batman said emotionlessly.

Damn Bats.

Wally would've glared at him, but he was distracted by the others expectant looks.

He sighed. "I'mfromanotherdimensionandit'sthedimensionDickandRoycamefromI'msorryIliedtoyou."

". . . What?" Superman asked.

Batman just raised an eyebrow at Wally only visible by the miniscule movement of his mask, shaking his head ever so slightly. Part of him swore Batman's lips almost twitched into a smirk. It was so fast that if he didn't have super speed he would've missed it.

Manhunter raised his own eyebrows, clearly picking up on the thoughts Wally was most definitely projecting loud and clear. He took another deep breath.

Slowly, he said, "I'm from the dimension Roy and Nightwing are from."

Hawkgirl dropped her mace.

"So wait – you – they're – What?" She said.

Superman simply stared at him, before getting up and storming out.

Batman said, "Good you finally told them."

"You knew?" Wonder Woman snapped out of her shock to stare at Batman. Hurt shown in her eyes.

"Yes." Batman replied.

Wally watched as Batman started to walk out, and Wonder Woman got out of her seat. Anger blazed in her eyes. For the moment, it wasn't directed at him.

As she passed him, she roughly grabbed him by the shoulder. She pointed her finger at his chest.

"Don't you dare think we're not having a discussion about this," Diana said threateningly.

Wally gulped. "Yes, ma'am."

As she flew out after Batman, he heard another person stand up, and Green Lantern walked passed him.

"GL," Wally said quietly.

Green Lantern stopped in the door way.

He didn't turn to face Wally as he said, "I – all of us – need time to process this."

John walked away without another word. Wally looked at the two remaining League founders.

"Uh . . ." He said hesitantly, "Either of you going to say something?"

Shayera still appeared to be in shock, so she said nothing.

Manhunter looked indifferent. "I knew for certain from your thoughts before you spoke, but there has always been something different about your mind, besides the fact that you think at super speed."

"Huh?" Wally frowned in confusion.

Manhunter answered, "Your mind . . . there are tracks in it made by a telepath, and the tracks are of a vaguely familiar signature."

Wally immediately flashed back to the mind links.

"Nightwing and Red Arrow have similar tracks in their minds," J'ohn said, "I assumed there was some connection, though I had doubts since they are from another dimension. Your confession confirms some of my doubts."

With that said, J'ohn flew out of his seat and out of the room.

Wally turned his attention to Shayera.

"Uh, Hawkgirl . . . ?" He asked, "Shayera . . .?"

She shook her head as if to shake off her shock.

"I'm not one to criticize another about keeping secrets of where you come from," She scowled, "Although it hurts a little that you've kept this from us."

She looked like she wanted to punch him, but thankfully not murder him. Maybe not the best reaction, but definitely the most ideal one considering how Shayera was . . . well, Shayera.

"That's a relief," Wally released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

Then she frowned, and he tensed.

"Well," Shayera said, "Are you and the others planning to invade and try to take over earth?"

"What? No!" Wally said. He wasn't sure to be offended, or to laugh.

Apparently, those emotions both showed on his face, because Shayera laughed.

She said, "That's reassuring."

She started to walk out, and Wally started to follow her. He stopped when she stopped in the door way.

"Oh, one more thing."

"Wha - ?" Wally started to ask, but didn't get the chance finish speaking.

Shayera's fist cracked across his jaw causing his head to snap to the side, and he crumpled.

"OW!"

Shayera walked out.

Wally groaned in pain as he lay on the floor. At least she hadn't broken his nose.

* * *

"So," Dick asked him, "How'd it go?"

"Painfully," Wally answered as he walked into their workroom. The door automatically slid shut behind him.

Dick and Roy were waiting for him. They knew he called a meeting for after lunch in the morning. The three had debated about it during breakfast, which they had in their workroom after agreeing to meet up early yesterday.

Needless to say, breakfast had been interesting.

They managed to convince him to tell the founding members the truth, but Wally told them it was something he needed to do alone. Out of respect for him, they agreed to stay behind. Wally took a moment to survey him. They almost looked like they hadn't moved since he left, which was an impressive feat.

Dick worked on the black box part of _Chance _which he had taken off the tripod. Roy was messing around with the tripod itself, adding spare parts to it and making adjustments.

"Hm," Roy said, "Sorry to hear that."

Wally glared at him. Roy didn't sound sorry at all.

"What happened?" Dick asked. "You were gone for a long time."

That was true. It was nearly eight at night, and the meeting started at one.

Wally grimaced. "As well as can be expected."

Dick raised his eyebrow, silently asking for more.

He sighed, "They all kind of walked out after I told them. Shayera punched me. I just kind of stayed there, and I sat at the table for them to come back."

"What if they didn't?" Roy asked him.

Wally shrugged. "I had to hope."

"They came back, didn't they?" Dick guessed.

"Yeah," Wally said, "Why else would we take so long? They were mad, but we had to discuss some things. They're still mad, but they've agreed not to tell anyone else."

"Well, that's good," Dick said, not paying attention to what he was working on.

Unfortunately, he was fiddling with the black box of chance that he had taken off the tripod. Wires were connected to it all around, and since Dick wasn't looking at the box, his tool (a mini laser he was using to fiddle with the wiring) hit the wrong part. Loud music started blaring obnoxiously.

"_I THREW A WISH IN THE WELL, DON'T ASK ME I'LL NEVER TELL, I LOOKED TO YOU AS IT FELL, AND NOW YOU'RE IN MY WAY!"_

Roy cursed.

"LANGUAGE!"

* * *

"Luthor," Vandal Savage greeted him.

Lex Luthor turned, looking as immaculate as ever in his business suit.

"Vandal Savage," He greeted in return, "How pleasant it is to see you. We have much to discuss."

Vandal Savage looked like a mixture of the old meets the new. His hair was black and spiky with equally dark sideburns. He wore his usual dark blue trench coat, boots, and suit, however his face and his eyes gave away what his eccentric clothes didn't.

His cold, pale blue eyes held ancient knowledge, and calculated cruelty. Around him he had an air of superiority, and he stood straight with his hands held clasped together behind his back. Three long, jagged scars were across his face. His face itself was cruel, and twisted. It was brutish, but the intelligence that gleamed in his eyes said otherwise.

Vandal Savage looked around the office, and the man who sat behind the desk. Luthor looked too pleased for his tastes.

"Let's skip the pleasantries," Vandal said coolly, "What do you want?"

Lex Luthor smiled.

"A few months ago," He said, "My computers picked up an unusual surge of energy in Canada."

He paused to build suspense. Savage gave him a withering glare.

"I noticed that this energy signature is being transmitted from three sources, though the signal is weak. I never noticed it before because it was so weak. It was only found because I specifically scanned for it."

Savage raised his eyebrow. "And? Have you located what is transmitting the signal?"

"Not what," Luthor said cryptically, "But who. I studied this energy source quite extensively, although it cost me a few favors and some money to keep the Justice League off my trail. I came across an interesting discovery."

"Well," Savage drawled patiently, "Don't keep me in suspense. You clearly invited me here for a reason."

Luthor nodded. "I consider you to be one of my few fellow . . . visionaries," He avoided the word villains, "with intellect to rival if not surpass my own. We have a common enemy I'm sure you will be interested in partnering with me to take down."

Savage had to hand it to Luther. He sure knew how to effectively use flattery, and persuasion. Perhaps he'll go along with Luthor's schemes just to see where they ended up. If they ended up taking out some or all of the Justice League, then all the better for him.

"I'm listening."

* * *

**I'm sincerely sorry for the long wait. To all my reviewers, followers, and the people who have favorited: Thank you. I'm sorry I never responded to your reviews. I found out recently from my own reviews to other stories that's it's generally polite to respond to one. I'm not going to respond to 159 reviews, especially since some are guest reviews, so the thank is for every reviewer, from my first to my last. **

**To the guest reviewer who assumed I abandoned this story: You're dead wrong, although as offended as I am by your assumption, I owe you a thank you. You motivated me to finish this chapter and published. **

**Again, I'm sorry for the long wait. My inspiration went to a Fem YJ Nightwing story (it's still there, but the story's unfinished, I just have a lot of parts of it written. Let me know what you think of that, by the way, but I'm not probably not going to publish any of it until I finish this one). Life kind of got in the way at some point too, school started up again. **

**Hm, now what do I usually do at the end of my stories? Oh yeah! At this point, if you aren't familiar with my usual speech about reviews, go back and read it. **

**REVIEW!**


	9. Breaks, Bonding, and Pancakes

**By far not my longest chapter, but I'm pretty sure it's not my shortest, either. Enjoy, dear readers. Thanks for staying with me this far. I appreciate it. I'm seriously starting to consider posting Dead and Gone, a companion to Lost and Found showing what happens while Dick and Roy are gone (Wally's 'dead'). **

**I need to edit, but I'm debating on publishing it, or having another chapter here going back to their world with likely Barbara's POV. Let me know what you think, readers. Personally, I feel that it would break the flow I have right now, so I'm leaning more towards Dead and Gone than the chapter idea. **

**On with the story!**

**DISCLAIMER:**

* * *

Dick stood on the roof of one of the many buildings in Gotham. The building he was on was taller than most of the others around it, so he had a great view of the city lights. They twinkled below him, shining bright. The sounds of the city surrounded him – the police sirens, car alarms, and occasional shouting.

Somewhere down there a crime was being committed. Somewhere down there, where he couldn't find or help the person. Somewhere down there, there was probably another Babs or Jason or Tim. Here, there was another Jim Gordon.

It was all so familiar. The grime, the familiar grittiness and ugliness of the city. There was the familiar, harsh beauty - beauty that he remembered seeing in his own Gotham – in the twinkling lights, the cars lined up on the traffic bridge, a couple – young and old – walking side-by-side.

Granted, this Gotham felt . . . harsher. Colder. Less . . . friendly? Could any Gotham even by described as friendly? Yet that was what it was. The Gotham Dick remembered from his world seemed lighter somehow. His Bruce was definitely not as cranky.

Maybe because he wasn't alone. If Dick had figured out anything in the few months he'd been here, it was that while this Bruce had the Justice League, he at least felt along. It made him a little sad. Dick was a social person. Being alone was hard for him to imagine.

It was kind of funny. Out of every possible situation he'd been in, being alone was the hardest to imagine. He stared out into the night.

. . . He was starting to forget some things. Dick was getting caught up with life here, with working on the machine, interacting with this Bruce, and talking to Roy and Wallly. The three of them managed to hang out here and there, grabbing some coffee and having movie nights in Roy's crappy apartment.

(That was probably the best part out of all of this. He got his friends back.)

But the other day, he was training by himself (after a frustratingly annoying day of getting nowhere with Chance) and he allowed himself to think about the others behind. It was then that he realized he couldn't recall the exact shade of red of Barbara's hair, or the taste of M'gann's cookies.

He couldn't really remember the exact shade of awful green the couches in the Cave were.

And that freaked him out. So here he was. On a rooftop in Gotham, looking out over the city with his nature fighting his strong desire to give up and despair. To panic. Stop trying to get back. He couldn't bring himself to do it, though, so Dick let his mind wander more.

He closed his eyes and tilted his heads towards the sky, letting out a sigh. A slight wind ruffled his black hair.

It was starting to turn to summer, so the night wasn't as cold as usual. Time seemed to be flying by faster. He wore his Nightwing suit, and his night sticks were in their holsters by his belt. His mind was wandering.

"What are you doing?" The gruff, semi-familiar voice of Batman said behind him.

It sounded familiar but at the same time it wasn't. There was no grudging, hidden undertone of affection. With this Bruce, Dick felt he couldn't get a read on him. He tried to reach him. He liked to pretend he was slowly getting somewhere.

"You're supposed to be patrolling," Batman said when Nightwing didn't respond.

"Just thinking," Nightwing said, annoyed. "Letting my mind wander. That kind of thing."

"Dangerous," Batman grunted.

He came and stood behind Nightwing. The silence stretched between them, but it was the comfortable kind of silence. Dick had no desire to fill it with words. Batman shifted, his cape shifting around his ankles and blowing around them in the slight breeze.

Batman broke the silence. Except it wasn't Batman. Bruce was the one who spoke, despite the cowl being on.

"You've been working hard," Bruce noted. "You need more breaks."

"I've been taking breaks," Dick said, mildly irritated, his slight surprise already gone. "Movie nights with Wally and Roy."

Batman nodded. "And when was the last one?"

Dick went silent.

He sighed, "A couple weeks ago."

Batman frowned. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Do something with them tomorrow night. Otherwise, no patrol." He said.

"What?" Nightwing stared at him in shock. "You can't do that. I'm a grown man."

"I'm making an executive decision for your health," Batman simply stated. Muttering to himself, he added, "And my own."

Nightwing heard it. Comprehension dawned on him.

"Agent A?"

"Yes," Bruce's tone made it clear he didn't want to elaborate.

The pair fell back into a comfortable silence, Dick mulling over Bruce's words in his mind. He really did need another break. Besides, Wally and Roy probably needed one too. Roy might even be doing worse than he was. The archer had left behind a young daughter.

As the first rays of the sun broke over the city, Dick turned around and walked to the other edge of the roof where his motorcycle was parked. Batman followed him. The Batmobile was probably parked in the same spot.

"You know," Nightwing mused, "I think this is the first non-superhero conversation I've had with you."

Batman stared at him.

He dryly said, "We can discuss how you spent the majority of patrol standing on a rooftop. The deal was you live with me; you help protect Gotham."

"Hey," Dick said. He defended himself, "I remember no such deal. It was a slow night, anyways."

The ghost of a smirk drifted across Batman's face. "I think you scared them all away."

Dick rolled his eyes, his heart lifting a little at the smirk. Maybe he was getting through to this Bruce; that was good. The last thing they needed was an evil Batman while stuck in another world.

"That, coming from you."

* * *

"I. Hate. This. Machine."

Surprisingly, the words didn't come from Roy for once. They came from Wally.

Wally scowled at the wires that surrounded the tripod and the black box that sat on top of them like some old movie projector.

Roy rolled his eyes. "Get in line."

The two looked over at Dick, who stood hunched over the tripod, tinkering with the black box.

"If it plays that song one more time I swear . . ." Wally glared at it.

"Relax," Dick waved his hand away. "I almost got it. I hope."

Something sparked, and Dick quickly drew his hand away, letting out a small curse.

"So much for almost," Roy remarked.

Dick glared at Roy. "Oh, shut it, Legolas."

"Real original," Roy grumbled.

The three ended up standing around just away from the three tables, and the tripod, which was pointed towards the wall. Dick had been attempting to find the 'signal' they probably gave off that would lead back to their world.

The goal was to establish an audio. From there, figure something out. Obviously, there plan was well-thought out, and very complicated.

"So how have you been doing?" Dick asked Wally.

"Never mind me," Wally dismissed his question easily, "I've been here for a while. I've been through the break downs. And let me tell you, dude, you look like shit."

The last part was directed towards Roy as well. Dick, however, blinked at Wally's bluntness. He tensed slightly, a little wary.

His masked eyes narrowed. "Did Bats tell you anything?"

A moment later, Roy scowled, an annoyed look on his face. "What?"

Wally rolled his eyes. "No. What would Bats have said, anyways?"

A mischievous smirk was on Wally's face. Dick grimaced. Dam. Caught.

"Nothing," He lied, the lie quite obvious.

Wally internally celebrated. It wasn't every day that he won a mini-argument against Nightwing. Besides . . . Bats really hadn't said anything. Agent A did.

"Uh huh," Wally said, "Well, movie night. Junk food and corny movies. Roy's place. Let's go. It's late, anyways."

"Um, what?" Roy asked, staring at Wally.

The corner of his lips twitched upwards as Dick watched the stare down between Wally and Roy.

"You get first pick," Wally offered. "We need a break, anyways."

Roy relented.

"Fine," He smirked as a thought occurred to him. "My little pony it is."

Dick and Wally exchanged a horrified look.

* * *

An hour or so later, the three were in Roy's apartment. Roy sat on the couch, while Dick sat on the floor and leaned against the couch. Wally claimed the armchair. Around them were bags of popcorn and candy wrappers, along with dozens of soda cans taking up the coffee table.

Dick watched curiously as Wally go out from his pillow-blanket fortress.

"And now," He said dramatically, "I present the main movie: Nightwing!"

Dick choked, disbelief on his face. "What?"

Wally simply smirked as he pulled out a movie that, sure enough, was titled Nightwing. Roy's jaw dropped, and he said a few words that caused Wally to speed to the bathroom.

He brandished the bar of soap in Roy's face threateningly.

"Don't make me," Wally warned Roy.

"Oh, please," Roy rolled his eyes, "You wouldn't – ack!"

Dick was shocked out of his stupor by the amusing sight of Roy with a bar of soap in his mouth. He laughed, the weight - a bullet proof vest that felt like lead - felt lighter.

Roy spit the bar out, gagging. He gave Wally a death glare as the speedster pranced around the apartment, waving the movie around. Maybe Roy shouldn't have let Wally have sugar.

"The best part is," Wally ignored Roy, "It's a movie about killer bats!"

Dick choked on his laughter, his face turning red as he laughed so hard he couldn't breathe. Roy merely shook his head.

"Unbelievable," He muttered.

* * *

Roy lay half-passed out on the couch, exhausted yet unable to sleep. He tossed restlessly from his spot on the couch, tangling himself up in his blanket and constantly readjusting his pillow. Roy heaved a sigh, frustrated.

He opened his eyes halfway and saw Wally passed out in the armchair. Dick lay on his back on the floor, blankets and pillows strewn around him along with things like candy wrappers and popcorn. A lightning bolt was drawn onto his forehead, most likely because of Wally. Dick probably feel asleep first. Roy was half-awake, so the two couldn't get away with pranking him.

They had finally fallen asleep.

Admittedly, Roy found the lack of noise disturbing. He could deal with noise. Lian sometimes cried in the middle of the night. But still. It was too quiet, and he couldn't sleep. So Roy carefully got off the couch, being sure not to go near Dick or Wally. Passed out from sugar comas or not, they were still a speedster and a bat.

Besides, neither of them looked like they were getting much sleep. Roy carefully opened the window to the fire escape, creeping out the window and shutting. He waited a few moments to see if Dick and Wally would climb out of it. When they didn't, he relaxed, and went up to the roof. Once there, Roy sat on the edge, his legs dangling over the side.

It was too stuffy in that apartment. He took a deep, calming breath once he was outside.

The night air was crisp and cool. On the horizon, rays of sunlight shined, painting the sky brilliant pinks and oranges and yellows. Star City was coming alive, the night owls heading back to their homes. Thugs and honest workers alike. Roy stared out at the city.

His thoughts drifted to Cheshire. Now there was a complicated woman. Half the time Roy was sure he was going to wake up and she'd be gone, or he'd have a knife to his throats. He couldn't really sort out the tangled knot of emotions he felt for her, but he felt something.

That something had been strong enough that he proposed. They were married, and had a daughter. Lian was cute, and of course, that was because she took after him. A little . . . violence happy, but he blamed Cheshire for that.

She'd kill him if – when – he got back.

She wouldn't give up on him, he knew. Because he never gave up on her.

"Can't sleep?"

Roy jumped. He turned around, and through the grey haze of the early morning hours he could make out the face of this Oliver Queen hidden under the mask, and ridiculously hat that looked far too like another, more familiar hat for Roy's liking.

Oliver, not Ollie. Because Ollie was back home. With Lian and Jade.

He scowled in irritation.

"GA," Roy greeted him, "You shouldn't be talking to me. I'm a civilian."

Green Arrow waved his hand.

He retorted, "Ah, what's the harm? Pretend I talked you down from jumping off the roof."

The corners of Roy's lips twitched.

"Fine," He agreed, still slightly reluctant. He didn't bother to point out that he wasn't standing on the edge of the roof.

Green Arrow nodded, seemingly content. He sat on the edge next to Roy, putting his bow on his back and sighing as he watched the rays of the sun hit the rooftops, Star City coming alive.

"Pretty, isn't it?" He commented.

Roy gave him a weird look.

"Uh, yeah, sure."

The silence hung between them, heavy and stifling with its weight. The longer it went on, the more awkward Roy felt with Green Arrow only a foot or so away, staring out at the city, occasionally looking at Roy curiously. Oliver stared at Roy like he was a puzzle he couldn't quite figure out.

He stubbornly ignored the emerald archer, but started a little when Oliver broke the silence.

"So what's up?"

He tried to start a conversation, turning slightly towards Roy.

"Dinah put you up to this, didn't she."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement. There wasn't any serious anger in the tone, or any question. There was mostly annoyance, and what Oliver would swear was hidden amusement.

"Dam," Green Arrow said. "Busted."

He let out a small sigh, laughing a little to himself. Roy guessed correctly. Even so, he made no move to get up and off the building.

"So?" Roy asked. "How'd she guilt you into it?"

Hey, if Roy couldn't get rid of the annoying, overly sensitive archer, he could at least talk to the man. And then maybe shove him off the roof; it depended on how much Oliver annoyed him.

Green Arrow shrugged. "She's Dinah. One minute she's being a complete badass; the next, she's in mother hen mode."

"True," Roy said, remembering the times when he was younger and Dinah stitched him and Ollie up.

She could be considerably scary sometimes.

For a moment, the two men tried looking anywhere but at each other. Neither of them could really find anything to talk about, but Green Arrow still wouldn't leave.

"Women," Oliver muttered to himself.

Roy snorted.

"Tell me about it," He said, immediately thinking of Jade.

Apparently he had a weird expression on his face, because Green Arrow smirked.

"What's this?" Oliver teased, "Thinking of a girl you left behind?"

Girls, technically. There was his daughter, Lian, to think about. Like her mother, she most certainly had him wrapped around her tiny little finger.

Roy's scowl reappeared. "No."

Green Arrow nodded, staying silent.

After a moment, "So who is she?"

"Gah!"

Roy glared almost murderously at Green Arrow. Oliver just snickered at him. Eventually, he cracked a smile and laughed at himself alongside him.

"Yeah," Roy spoke grudgingly, "I guess I am."

Green Arrow's lips quirked up. "Oh, really? Now this is interesting. What's her name?"

"Interesting?" Roy blinked. Slightly defensive, "What do you mean by that?"

Oliver rolled his masked eyes.

"I mean," He said, "That this is the first time you're telling me anything about yourself. I'm starting to think Canary was right when she told me the only thing we do is squabble like little children."

Roy snorted. "That sounds like Canary. What did she tell you to get you to talk to me?"

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Something about how I'm an immature idiot, and need to have a 'guy-to-guy' 'partner-to-partner' bonding moment talk."

Bit of an understatement. Dinah had flipped when, towards the end of their joint patrol, she saw Roy on the rooftop. She had generally made him feel like a terrible person in her five-minute rant.

Roy gave Oliver another weird look. It was strange to see a version of Ollie this young. He never thought Ollie could possibly be any more annoying until he met this version.

"But no dodging the question," Green Arrow gave him a stern look. "What's her name?"

Roy tensed a little. A part of him dreaded his reaction.

"'Their'," Roy said, "It's 'their', not just her."

Oliver stared at Roy.

Roy sighed. He explained, "One's my daughter. The other's my wife."

The blond archer choked.

Horrified, Green Arrow said, "You're my adopted kid or something?"

Scowling at the question and the reaction, Roy said, "Yes."

He was very surprised when Green Arrow exclaimed loudly,

"I'm too young to be a grandfather!"

Roy burst out laughing, toppling backwards onto the roof. Green Arrow sat shell-shocked on the edge, a pained expression on his face.

"Stop laughing!" Oliver said defensively, "Next thing you know, you'll have grey hairs."

Roy sobered up, grimacing.

"Especially if I continue being stuck here with only them," He jerked his head to the side, indicating the fire escape that led down to his apartment where Dick and Wally slept.

Green Arrow shrugged. "You have me."

Roy raised an eyebrow. He couldn't stop the small doubt that nagged at the back of his mind, along with the faint traces of amusement.

"Sort of," Oliver cracked a smile, "When we're not screaming and cursing at each other."

Roy shook his head, laughing slightly. His blue eyes shined brightly in the darkness. He carelessly ran a hand through his red hair once more. He looked thoughtfully out at the city, an unusual expression for the normally impulsive, fiery redhead.

"Anyways," Green Arrow said, interrupting Roy's thoughts, "I need to go. It's almost daytime."

He blinked as he realized that Oliver was right. Time had gone by quickly, and without them noticing the shadows had lengthened, creeping across the city and the rooftops as the sun rose higher.

"Yeah," He told Oliver. "Yeah, I need to, too. Gotta make breakfast. D – Nightwing's hopeless at cooking and Wally eats as he cooks the food."

Green Arrow chuckled. "True, very true. Better hurry, then."

Roy and Green Arrow left – Green Arrow shooting an arrow and zip-lining away, while he clambered back down the fire escape. Like before, he tried to make as little noise as possible.

* * *

The wonderful aroma of pancakes stirred Wally out of the deep sleep his sugar crash had forced upon him. He groaned, twitching and sitting up. Wally squinted his eyes at the light that streamed through the windows beyond the TV.

He rubbed at the painful cramp in his neck from where he had slept with his head rested awkwardly on the armrest. Wally unfolded his legs, looking around at the aftermath of their movie night. Blankets and pillows were strewn everywhere, along with random bits of popcorn and candy wrappers.

He wiped at his face as he felt something stuck against his cheek from where it was pressed against the chair. He stared at it, and realized that it was a candy wrapper. Wally shook his head in slight amusement. He stood up, running a hand through his red hair.

His normally bright green eyes had dark circles under them and Wally had a dull headache, telling him he didn't get enough sleep. He could probably catch a nap on monitor duty. Or while working on _Chance. _Roy and Dick would let him.

Wally grimaced as he realized they'd probably prank him with a bowl of water, shaving cream, or something equally stupid and funny. On second thought, that was a bad idea.

Wally managed to stumble over to the tiny kitchen, his foot catching on a blanket. Vaguely irritated, Wally shook the blanket off his foot.

He heard a laugh, and saw Dick leaning against counter, a few pancakes on his plate. Wally would have said something witty, but his stomach growled loudly.

Wally's ears turned red.

Roy, who's back was turned towards Wally, facing the oven, turned around. Wally caught a glimpse of a pancake in a pan on the stovetop, and his mouth watered.

"You didn't wake me up," He accused.

Dick rolled his eyes. "We tried. You wouldn't budge."

He vaguely remembered swatting someone's hand – who had been poking him, as a matter of fact – away. Wally sighed, crossing his arms.

"Still," He said, "Not cool, man."

Roy rolled his eyes. "Relax, man. I have a some ready for you now."

Sure enough, Wally's eyes fell on the stack of pancakes by the small counter space (with a cabinet under it) right between the oven and the fridge. He sped over, hungrily devouring the pancakes.

Later, the three of them sat around Roy's tiny wooden table, plates in front of them with some syrup left over. Glasses of orange juice – and in Roy's case, coffee (he refused to let Wally and Dick have some) by the plates. They sat contently in their seats, looking around at each other every so often.

Wally smiled. He was still a little hungry, despite all the pancakes, but he had a superfast metabolism.

"See," He told Dick and Roy, "Breaks are a good thing."

Dick rolled his eyes. "Yes, you were right. Happy?"

Wally grinned smugly. "Very."

Roy shook his head.

"You two . . ."

* * *

**There are way too many line breaks. Sorry. This kind of feels like a filler chapter, too, but I wanted to write this, and show the toll being there for so long is starting to take. The chapter practically wrote itself. Nothing really more to say, other than midterms have been painful. **

**Not painful in the oh-my-gosh, these-are-so-difficult way, but more like the these-are-way-too-long way. They're finally over. **

**Please review. **


	10. Summer Days

**Yet another update. I seem to be on a writing kick.**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.**

* * *

Slade Wilson was a small time mercenary that Luthor had heard talk about in certain circles recently rising to the top, known for his skill. He was the perfect man for the job Luthor had in mind, which required stealth. Although Savage could be stealthy, he tended more towards the dramatic side.

Speaking of Savage, the ancient-but-young-in-appearance man stood off to the side of Luthor's desk. Any man of less than average intelligence would be a fool to think Savage a body guard, though. Vandal stood straight and proud, a carefully blank look of disdain for his luxurious surroundings on his face.

This was the scene Slade walked in on, Luthor sitting comfortably at his desk and Savage off to the side, but no less intimidating.

"Slade Wilson," Luthor greeted.

"Please," Slade smirked behind his black and orange mask. "I've taken up the name Deathstroke rather recently."

"Deathstroke, then." Luthor plastered on fake smile, keeping his annoyance in check that he had not known this little tidbit.

Slade nodded. "I understand that you have a job for me."

Luthor nodded, smirking. "I have a feeling you'll enjoy it."

Slade jerked his head towards Savage. "If I may ask, what is he doing here?"

Luthor shrugged, keeping the emotions on his face controlled.

Casually, he said, "I have recently entered a business agreement with Mr. Savage. Part of that business requires your help, and he merely asked to be present to greet you."

Slade raised an eyebrow. "How . . . humbling. Will I be let in on the details of this agreement?"

"Watch your tongue," Savage drawled, looking Slade directly in the eyes, his cold, ancient blue eyes momentarily freezing the mercenary's blood.

"Ah, no," Luthor said, trying to diffuse the tension. "It is not necessary."

He shrugged. "As long as I'm payed, then I have no questions."

Untrue, but he really didn't care about what these two were doing, unless Luthor and Savage were rewriting history again or something.

"Very well then," Luthor smiled thinly, his eyes hard and cold. Calculating the risk of hiring Slade.

"You're hired."

Slade let his mouth twist into something resembling a smile, but it was cruel and devoid of the usual joy a smile had.

"When do I start?"

"Now," Luthor said. "Take one of these."

He handed Deathstroke a relatively small, calculator-like device.

"It is programed to track your target. Bring what you find to me," Luthor ordered.

Slade raised an eyebrow. "And what will I find?"

Luthor was reluctant to answer that question, since revealing he didn't know put him at less of an advantage.

Savage answered Slade instead, "Nothing that will kill you. I thought you operated under a no questions policy, anyways."

Deathstroke nodded. Reluctantly, he said, "Very well, then. Looks like I have a challenge ahead of me."

"Nothing you can't handle, I'm sure," Luthor said.

"Of course," Deathstroke said coolly.

* * *

_"__Wally. Wally. Wally."_

_Her voice echoed around him, that familiar voice that he'd heard angry and shy and kind. Artemis. He was running once more, running because he could hear her voice. Because he wanted to see her. _

_"__You left."_

_That voice, her voice came again. Soft. Deadly. Accusing. _

_"__You left me."_

_And wasn't that the stab in the heart, Wally reflected, as he stumbled in his running, until he face-planted in a snow drift. He was suddenly freezing, and her voice echoed around him, hurt and broken and oh-so-accusing. _

_Wally flinched. And started running once more. _

_Only, he was running in circles, running as fast as he could, except something was hitting him and it was almost like a lightning bolt and it hurt, it hurt so much and he felt like he was dying, and then he was dying, blurring and fading and breathing heavily, winded. _

_Until he finally shattered, running until he burst into fragments, with his Uncle Barry's voice echoing in his mind, thoughts of his parents and Artemis following him. _

_Then he woke up on cold hard ground, thinking that if he was dead and this was heaven (because he died to save the world and if that doesn't get him a free ticket to heaven, he wasn't sure what did) then this sucked, because he was starving and cold and miserable. _

_Time seemed to blur by, flashes and faces of familiar-yet-not people and it was too much too fast, which Wally thought was odd, because too fast was a word that did not exist in Wally West's vocabulary until he ended up running into oblivion. _

_And he was left standing in the middle of life blurring by, tears streaming down his face and obscuring his vision as he looked around him in despair, feeling the weight of his losses suffocating him, dragging him down. _

_Then Artemis was there, in all her blond haired, grey-eyed glory. _

_"__You idiot," She told him, which was how Wally knew she loved him. "Slow down. Take my hand."_

_Wally obeyed, despite the sarcastic part of him wanting to point out that he wasn't running. He couldn't help but marvel at the fat that she was there, wearing her Tigress costume but without the mask and the silly necklace. _

_"__Calm down," She ordered, "Breathe."_

_And once more Wally obeyed her, because he'd follow her to hell and back if need be, because she was his calm within the storm, his rock, what kept him grounded. _

_She smiled up at him, one of those smiles she reserved just for him. "Open your eyes."_

_Wally obeyed._

Wally woke up in a cold sweat, his thoughts confused and muddled in his half-awake state. His grey shirt stuck to him, and sweat coated his body. It made his loose sweatpants stick to him. Gross. Finally, he seemed to become more aware, and he automatically looked over at the other side of the bed.

As usual, there was no one there, and as usual a part of him deflated a little, and Wally could feel the tears sting at his eyes. He suppressed them. There was no reason to cry. He stopped crying a while ago because he learned to deal with the pain.

Then Roy and Dick came, and turned everything he thought he knew around. It wasn't entirely for the better (after all, they were stuck here too), but at least he wasn't the only one who missed the others now. That thought was entirely too selfish for Wally, so he dismissed it completely, feeling bad.

He made a life here. He had friends. Roy and Dick were adjusting. Their life wasn't here, though, and Wally knew that. He felt the tiniest bit disappointed, because a small part of him kind of wanted to stay, as terrible and selfish and cruel as that sounded.

He dreamed about bringing Artemis here. They could build a life here, he knew it. But of course, that was a dream that was out of reach, about as real as the nightmarish dream he just had. Like the other confusing dreams he'd been having lately.

The sleepover a little while ago was probably one of the last time he slept soundly.

Wally shook his head. He laid back down on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, deep in thought. He didn't get up until his alarm went off, letting him know it was time to get up for his day job.

He rubbed his forehead, yawning as he stood and stretched. His life screwed up.

With this happy thought, Wally got ready to face the day.

* * *

Dick met Wally as he walked outside of the work.

"Hey, man," He said, "What's up?"

Wally shrugged. "Nothing much, really. Wanna grab a cup of coffee?"

Dick raised an eyebrow. "With how hot it is right now?"

Wally shrugged once again. "Then let's get ice coffee."

"Fair enough," Dick agree, and they started walking down the street.

Suddenly, Wally asked, his voice low, "Have you ever wondered if you have a counterpart here?"

"What?" Dick stared at his friend. He frowned. "I thought we already tried searching for counterparts."

Wally sighed. "It was just a thought."

They lapsed into an easy, comfortable silence.

"So . . ." Wally began.

Dick eyed Wally warily. He had that mischievous glint in his eye that meant something wasn't going to go well for Dick.

"Are you coming to the party?" Wally asked excitedly, inches away from jumping up and down. Strangers passing by gave them weird looks.

Dick frowned. "I . . . don't know."

"C'mon, man," Wally coaxed, "It's the Fourth of July! Time to celebrate!"

Dick rolled his eyes. "You mean, an excuse to eat junk food, party, and see family and friends."

"Exactly," Wally beamed, pleased that Dick understood.

The pair were walking down yet another street in Central, Dick having met up with Wally after the redhead got off work. Each of them wore comfortable clothing for the hot summer day, shorts and a T-shirt complete with sneakers. Dick's blue eyes shined brightly in the sunlight, as did Wally's green eyes.

It was a really nice day. The breeze blew softly, and it was one of those days where everyone seemed to be in a good mood. They chatted, teasing each other good-naturedly as Wally led Dick to the local coffee shop.

"Well," Wally said, "Thanks for meeting me. Works been busy."

"Yeah," Dick said. "It's not like I have anything to do, really, besides drive myself nuts over _Chance."_

To a passerby, it seemed like they were talking about probability. Wally and Dick, however, knew Dick was referring to the stupid – ah, amazing – machine that was supposed to take them back.

Wally sighed. "Don't beat yourself up about it, man."

"I know, I know," Dick said, "I just feel like I'm close to something, Walls."

Wally nodded. "I know the feeling. But dude, promise me you'll be there."

Dick sighed. "Yeah, I'll come. Can't pass up a chance to eat her pie, can I? And the giant blue smurf would be heartbroken."

Wally cracked a grin. "Excellent. Everyone's coming, man. It's going to be spectacular."

"Yeah, yeah," Dick rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Let's go; you owe me an ice coffee."

Wally wrinkled his nose. "I'm pretty sure we've never even had one of those before."

Dick laughed. "Can't hurt to try."

Wally smirked slightly. "Unless we're allergic to something in it."

"Wally . . ."

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

* * *

Tailing behind the heroes, walking casually in nondescript clothes, was Slade, or as he had been called recently, Deathstroke. He planned to kidnapped the young black haired man, who appeared to be one of the sources of the energy Luthor hired him to track down and bring.

He listened to the conversation, mildly baffled. Pie? Giant blue smurf?

Slade blinked. Superheroes.

On the less baffling side, the young man would likely be alone. Perfect.

* * *

Dick determinedly worked on the machine. His t-shirt and cargo shorts from earlier had a few stains on them, since he'd been at it for a while now. He almost had it . . .

"YES!"

He let out a jubilant shout. A thin, bright rainbow line shined directly onto the wall. It was slowly becoming bluer, and the machine started to shake, the loose parts in the room rattling. Hurriedly, Dick shut it off.

They'd need something to widened it and stabilize it, but he'd done it. He found one of the final puzzle pieces, and successfully ripped a hole in the universe, world, whatever.

At the same time, he shouted, there was the sound of a person coming in from the platforms. Dick rolled his eyes, figuring it was Wally coming to drag him to the Fourth of July celebration. Except, now, Dick was in a mood to celebrate.

He expected the redhead to speed into the room any minute, but nothing happened. Dick paused in his tinkering. He set his tools down, tightening his utility belt around his waist and fixing his mask. Impulsively, he grabbed a wrench, gripping it tightly.

The Watchtower was silent. There was no one besides him there, most were home, working, or partying.

"KF?" Dick called out. "Hello?"

His nerves remained on edge as he walked to where the platforms where, the hair at the back of his neck standing up. He tensed, expecting an unseen foe to jump out. His exhaustion slowed him a little, so perhaps this was the reason Dick only just managed to dodge the fist heading for his face.

He quickly side-stepped, blocking and throwing a punch of his own, swinging the wrench full force into his attacker's ribs. His attacker backed off, and Nightwing remained on guard as he observed his attacker. The man wore a strangely familiar outfit.

A chill went down Nightwing's back as he saw the half-black, half-orange mask.

"Deathstroke," He spat furiously. "Why are you are?"

"How nice," Slade said dryly, "We're already on a first name basis. But I'm afraid I don't know your name . . . Knight, is it?"

Nightwing glared at the mercenary. "Night_wing_."

Deathstroke nodded, before attacking. Nightwing flipped backwards to avoid the sudden leg sweep, and the fight passed in a blur of flips, kicks, punches and blocks. His escrima sticks were knocked out of his hands, and Dick made a bid for the control panel.

The League needed to know Deathstroke was here. So did Wally and Roy.

He didn't get very far before Slade managed to put him into a headlock, and Dick gasped for breath, struggling. Eventually, he passed out, the world fading to black.

Slade dropped the unconscious young man to the floor, taking a moment to collect himself. The fight had been harder than expected. The boy had been exceptionally well-trained by Batman, whom Deathstroke had observed conversion with Nightwing.

It paid to know more about one's targets. Sometimes literally.

And of course, by chance he was presented an opportunity to capture one of the young men and bring them to Luthor when Nightwing told his friend (his original target to kidnap – ah, take – but Nightwing was unexpected) he'd be alone.

Deathstroke sighed. He then heaved the boy over his shoulder in a fireman's lift after removing and discarding the belt. Luthor would be overjoyed.

* * *

Indeed, after waiting patiently for Deathstroke to succeed, Luthor was very happy his investment turned a profit. He just didn't expect the results to be a person. The device he gave for Deathstroke to track the energy source never meant to lead to a person.

Lex Luthor was baffled.

Still, he wore a pleased smile. Savage wasn't present, but that was no matter. Vandal would arrive soon enough. By then, Luthor hoped to have this boy on a lab table with a dozen different scientist analyzing why the source came from him, and how to harness or use the energy.

"Your services are no longer required," Luthor said, "You will find that the agreed upon amount has been deposited in the account you specified."

Deathstroke nodded. He paused in the doorway momentarily, his lingering curiosity begging him to ask more, but he ignored it in favor of walking out the door. He decided a long time ago to not ask his employers questions; don't bite the hands that feed you, and all.

He didn't bother looking back.

* * *

Wally stood around the Clark's Fourth of July party, watching as the League talked amongst themselves and Batman sulked in a corner, no one daring to approach him. He scanned the crowd, looking for a pair of familiar blue eyes, but couldn't find them.

Frustrated, he said to his companion, "Something isn't right."

Roy grunted, ignoring Wally in favor of taking another sip of his lemonade.

"He'll turn up," Roy offered, "You know how he is. Bit of a workaholic."

Wally glared slightly at Roy.

Annoyed, he asked, "Why aren't you more concerned?"

Roy shrugged. He eyed his drink.

"I think someone spiked it."

Wally shook his head in exasperation.

"Honestly," He muttered, "You'd think as superheroes, we'd be mature enough to not do that."

He wandered off, tugging on the ends of his shirt, fidgeting as he wandered through the crowds. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his shorts. Wally cautiously approached the glowering Batman (wearing a pair of dark sunglasses) and more than a few Leaguers gave him a questioning look; as if they were asking Wally if he was out of his right mind.

Well, Wally was out of his right mind. He was in his left mind.

"Could you . . ." His voice trailed off at the dark, grumpy glare Batman sent his way.

"Fine," Batman said, "It's almost over anyways. He should've been here a while ago."

It was true. The sun was setting, painting the sky pink and gold. A golden light was on the corn fields, and it slowly started to cool off. People were gradually leaving, too, as the sun went down. Distracted, Wally missed Batman taking out a pad, typing in a code, and sudden he was no longer in the party.

Instead, he was standing in the middle of an exceptionally beat up platform, blinking around at the bright, sterile light of the Watchtower. He noted the Wing-Dings in the wall, along with the skid marks on the floor and Dick's discarded utility belt.

His eyes nearly bugged out of his hand. Worriedly, he looked around, noting that a fight had definitely happened. The escrima sticks were far apart, like they had been thrown or maybe kicked away by someone.

Whatever happened, Dick put up one heck of a fight.

Wally dashed off to the room were Dick should be, part of him praying and hoping despite knowing it's useless. He looked in horror at the empty room, not bothering to note the improvements to the machine. He paced the hallway frantically, leaving marks on the floor and nearly biting his nails.

He heard the platform go off, and anger surged within him. Wally raced off, full prepared to take on someone, but he stopped himself and stared at Batman, Roy and Superman. They stared back at Wally, a little dumbfounded at the anger that had been on the normally happy speedster's face.

(Although Batman would never, never in a million years admit to appearing dumbfounded, if only for a moment).

"Dick'sgoneandIdon'tknowwhattodoorhowandohmygoodIneedyourhelpheneedsyourhelp," Wally continued babbling, but eventually it got to the point where none of them could understand him.

"Hey," Roy snapped.

Wally waited, expecting – hoping – for something reassuringly, which he desperately needed.

"Shut up. I can't hear myself think."

Superman shook his head, and Batman's lips twitched into the smallest trace of a smirk.

Wally gaped at Roy. "How much of that lemonade did you drink?"

Roy tossed him an annoyed look. "Only the one glass. And it wore off quickly, dumbass."

He blinked at Roy's casual cursing. Then again, he was acting a little . . . erratic? Panicked?

"Something along those lines," Roy agreed.

Wally winced. He didn't realize he said those out loud. He was such an idiot.

"You are," Roy agreed once more. Wally nearly face-palmed, he did it again! "Now breathe and tell big bro Red Arrow all."

Ignoring the sage-like wise old fortune teller tone Roy took at the end, Wally did.

A little while later, the four of them were still on the platform, looking at one another. Batman was scowling fiercely, and Superman looked unsettled. Somewhere along the way, they had changed into their uniforms, and all of them looked ready to wage war.

"Flash," Batman barked, "Check the security cameras."

Both Roy and Wally tensed at the figure on the screen, Dick's attacker, recognizing him as the alternate Deathstroke. They winced when Dick was knocked out.

Superman frowned. "Who is that?"

"I'm about to find out," Batman responded simply, "The rest of you, search your cities. Avoid creating a commotion, try and be discreet about this."

"Wait," Wally said, "That's Deathstroke, also known as Slade Wilson."

Batman gave the speedster a look that said they'll most definitely talk about that later, but turned and left without any further world.

"Well," Roy said, "Isn't this just a lovely mess."

"Shut up, Roy," Wally muttered, exhausted and not in the mood to deal with the moody archer.

"Why?" Roy asked disinterested. "C'mon, Walls. This isn't the first time he's been kidnapped, alternate dimension or not. He's got to have some sort of tracker on him."

Wally said, "Yeah, well, for me it's been a little longer than how it's been for you, so excuse me if – wait, that's it! Roy, you're a genius!"

"Well it's time you finally realized this."

Superman cut in, "Flash, what are you talking about?"

Roy frowned. "Quiet, you. He called me a genius; I'm trying to savor the moment."

Ignoring Roy, Superman continued staring at Wally, who sighed and pulled his cowl down. Wally ran a hand through his red hair thoughtfully.

"'Wing probably has a tracker or something on him," Wally chose his words carefully. "If we can hook up to his holo computer from a computer here – assuming it's with him and isn't broken – we can try to find him."

Superman raised his eyebrows. "That's a bit of a risk."

"Got anything else?" Roy asked, his voice bored with a hint of a challenge in it.

Superman shook his head. "No."

"Then let's do this," Wally said.

He quickly accessed one of the computers, Roy and Wally coming to stand behind him and to the side.

"Quit breathing down my neck," Wally muttered to Roy.

Roy rolled his eyes, but gave Wally some space as the speedster typed as fast as the keys wood allow without being set on fire, or broken. Though Roy was acting a little careless, he was genuinely concerned, and pissed.

When they got him back, Dick better be in one piece, or there would be hell to pay.

"There," Wally said, "I managed to find out his location. It's somewhere in . . ."

Wally hit a few buttons. Impatiently, Roy shifted, while Superman watched calmly with a vaguely irritated expression.

" . . . Metropolis."

Superman blinked, before he spat, "Luthor."

Wally had to give him credit, he did an impressive imitation of Batman growling out a name.

"We don't know that," Wally argued weakly, knowing that was the most likely case.

Honestly, with all the problems Luthor caused them in the past, it was extremely likely he was the cause of this problem. Just their look, Wally thought, that of all people to stumble upon their secret, it was Luthor who was coming close.

Wally winced, frantically hoping that Luthor hadn't figured out anything yet.

Roy shrugged. "Let's go."

Superman looked annoyed. "Not that easy. We'd have to sneak in; Luthor would turn the public against us if we outright broke in, and that is the last thing we need.

Roy looked confused, but Wally merely nodded.

"Yeah," He said, "The last thing we need is the media against us. It's so much harder to help people when they hate us."

Superman sighed. "They don't hate us; they're afraid of us."

Wally nodded in agreement, sighing a little. He understood Roy's confusion. Back where they came from, the media, public, and superheroes had a generally good relation, though Godfrey tried to ruin it. It was practically the man's life goal.

"One of us needs to radio Batman," Superman said. "Wally, please do it, now."

Wally obeyed the order, turning back towards a computer and picking up a headset.

"Are we going now?" Roy asked, "Because we need to leave right_ now_."

The archer looked mad, and determined.

Superman sighed. "Look, Red Arrow, we can't just storm in there. We need to talk to Batman, make a plan, and then go in, as much as I want to kick Luthor's behind into outer space."

Roy scowled. Before he could open his mouth to protest, there was a noise of the platform going off, and Batman was there, stalking towards their little group. Wally walked away from the group to stand beside Roy and Superman.

"Deathstroke wouldn't say who, or where," Batman said, his face set into a permanent looking scowl.

"But with the new information Wally relayed to me and the significant transferred out of Luthor's account, we can confirm it is Luthor."

Roy raised an eyebrow. "You hacked his bank accounts?"

Dick was apparently wearing off on this Batman.

"That," Batman responded, "Is not what I said, and it is irrelevant at the moment."

Perhaps Dick was wearing off on Batman a little too much.

"We need a plan to get inside," Batman said, "And I have one."

Wally shifted. He looked straight into Batman's masked eyes.

"Then let's hear it."

* * *

**So, Deathstroke won't play a major role. This will probably be his only appearance, maybe. And yes, I made it so he was just starting out. My apologies if there's any mistakes. I'm trying, I swear. I hated to end the chapter on a cliff hanger but, well, it just happened. **

**Review. **


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